Studies of women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation treatment show that the most stressed-out women are 93 per cent less likely to have a baby by the end of five years compared with their more relaxed peers (Fertil Steril, 2001; 76: 675-87). In addition, in this study, women who reported feeling angry, hostile or depressed had fewer eggs to fertilise and fewer embryos to transfer.

There is also evidence that severe emotional stress during early pregnancy can cause congenital malformations. Danish researchers studying 3560 pregnancies over 12 years found stressed women were more than one-and-a-half times more likely to have a baby with a cranial neural crest deformity (Lancet, 2000; 356: 875-80).

This patient is most likely the woman with adult acne not responding to dietary changes or nutritional supplements, but returning when the antibiotics are stopped. What needs to be done is to establish why the woman has acne in first place, instead of just suppressing the condition with drugs.

In my experience, the most common reason for women to have acne is the presence of ovarian cysts. (A cyst is a sac-like cavity filled with liquid or semisolid material, rather like a haemorrhoid.) Usually linked to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), enlarged cystic ovaries may occur in the absence of characteristic symptoms: hirsutism (abnormally hairy), infertility and scant periods. They are found in women who have conceived and are not hairy, in infertile women with regular periods, and in those with ovaries that are small or normal in size.

In the absence of suspect symptoms, acne associated with ovarian cysts can be diagnosed by ultrasound, preferably transvaginally, and by blood tests.

A herbal remedy
A well-researched alternative treatment is Vitex agnus castus, a Mediterranean shrub. In classical times, it was used for disorders of the female reproductive system, and is mentioned in the medical writings of Hippocrates, Plinius, Dioscorides and Galen. Extract of agnus castus (EAC; from the berries) has a regulating effect on ovarian hormones, as confirmed by laboratory examinations (Hippokrates, 1954; 25: 717; Deutsche med Wochenschr, 1954; 79: 1271). EAC also reduces follicle-stimulating hormone production in the pituitary, and gently increases luteinising hormone (LH) and prolactin secretion.

Excessive menstrual bleeding, unduly frequent periods, persistent acyclic haemorrhages and similar menstrual disorders can controlled by using 30-40 drops of EAC in water once daily (Deutsche med Wochenschr, 1955; 80: 936). Improvement in the cystic ovarian overgrowths can be monitored by ultrasound. Premenstrual syndrome and quick-temperedness can be improved from the very next cycle (Zeitschr Allgemeine Med, 1981; 56: 295).

Because EAC promotes the secretion of LH, it contributes to progesterone synthesis (Selecta, 1977; 19: 3688), which makes it of immense value in the successful treatment of endometriosis.

My own experience has shown that myomata (fibroids) situated within the walls of the uterus not only cease to grow, but actually shrink, as confirmed by ultrasound, with EAC treatment lasting for eight months. In addition, I have seen that, within a month of starting EAC treatment, the acne visibly begins to subside in most cases and does not return, even after the treatment has ended.

(For alternatives for preventing acne, see page 11.)

Harald Gaier
Harald Gaier is a registered naturopath, osteopath, homoeopath and herbalist. He can be contacted at The Diagnostic Clinic, London, tel: 020 7009 4650

Since the turn of the century, we have heard a great deal about a newly discovered system in the body-the endocrine system. This consists of many glands, including the thyroid gland, pituitary gland, gonads, pancreas, and adrenal glands. The diseases associated with the endocrine system range from the common problems of diabetes mellitus and irregular menstrual periods to Addison’s disease-a problem with the adrenal glands that gained much attention when President John F. Kennedy was said to suffer from it. And most of us have at least one friend with an under-active thyroid gland.

The endocrine system consists of glands that empty their chemical products, called hormones, directly into the bloodstream. These hormones control nearly every aspect of our body’s functioning, including metabolism (thyroid glands), sugar usage (pancreas), and sexual functioning (gonads). The release of epinephrine, which we would feel, for example, a few moments after an almost fatal accident, is the result of a release of a minute quantity of the chemical from the adrenal glands.

When a nerve cell is stimulated, it conducts the discharge all the way from one end to the other. As it reaches the end of the nerve, this information must cross a small space, called a synapse, to another nerve, muscle, or other kind of cell. It does this by releasing an extremely small quantity of a certain chemical, such as acetylcholine or a form of adrenalin (depending upon the kind of nerve cell). It is this tiny amount of chemical that causes the next cell to realize that a message has come down the nerve fiber. In a way, each nerve is like a tiny gland!

The endocrine glands are richly supplied with nerves and are rigorously controlled by the nervous system; I often view them as huge nerve endings. Instead of releasing minute amounts of chemical, as the tiny nerve endings do, the endocrine glands may release much larger quantities. They are, therefore, able to adjust the person’s overall activity in many ways.

Just as you are able to increase the activity of your hand by moving it back and forth and up and down, it is possible for the thyroid gland to increase the overall activity and metabolism of your entire body. If you have an overactive thyroid gland or if someone gives you thyroid hormone pills, you may find your arms and legs moving much more often, feel nervous and jittery, and always feel too warm even though other people feel comfortable. On the other hand, too little thyroid hormone can cause feelings of being slowed down or drowsy and make a person tend to gain weight. In a similar fashion, the other endocrine glands may be seen as superenlarged nerve endings that regulate a person’s overall activity in one way or another.

Because of their close association with the nervous system, there is much opportunity for the function of these glands to become involved in conditioned reflexes. In other words, a person’s glands may secrete too much or too little hormone, depending upon what kind of stimuli are in the person’s environment and what kind of thought patterns the person has. I have worked with several people who had improper secretion levels of the endocrine glands. In the course of exploration we saw a pattern of conditioning that was similar to that discussed up until now except that a change in the secretion of the gland became one of the responses. Following exploration and deconditioning there was an improvement in glandular function.

We spoke before about such problems as muscle tension and spasm being due to a continuous tension maintained by the central nervous system. In other words, instead of there being just occasional impulses going to the part of the body that is in tension, the impulses tend to run continuously. Thus a condition of the body can be maintained by the nervous system alone. This, however, is the job of the endocrine glands. They function to provide steady, continuous conditions of the organism. They produce overall changes in general activity in the same way that the nerves produce intermittent types of activity. A disease of muscle tension that occurs in the presence of certain stimuli is there because there was a tension present at the time of some sensitizing event or at the time of a series of conditioning events. The tension is produced because the nerves to the muscle are functioning abnormally. Through the rules of negative conditioning, then, this may become more and more pronounced with each new trial. In the same fashion an interruption of the normal secretory patterns of an endocrine gland by negatively programmed events may also sow the seed for future dysfunction. Let’s see how this might happen in a particular case.

Let us imagine that Betty has parents who, for some reason, are sensitive to any noise or activity above a certain level. Each time Betty begins to play and becomes very active or loud, her mother and father come in, yell at her, and tell her to go to bed. Thus several stimuli are becoming linked with a reflex in which enthusiastic activity causes an increase in tension, such as that which is experienced when the child is punished. Later on, then, being very active is associated with increased fear, and thus, through avoidance programming, the child becomes trained to be less and less active.

The gland controlling overall bodily activity is the thyroid gland. As this conditioning grows stronger and stronger through the years, the overall program, which the mind is carrying out, becomes less active. The way the body generally carries out the commands to become less active is to decrease the output of thyroid hormone. By the time Betty has reached twenty or thirty years of age, the program may be strong enough that its effects are noticed, and she may go to a doctor to learn that she has an underactive thyroid gland.

Other situations might cause an individual to develop an overactive gland. Graves’ disease (thyrotoxicosis) is a malfunction of the endocrine system in which huge amounts of thyroid hormone are released into the bloodstream by the thyroid. This release is believed by many to be because of overactivity of the pituitary gland, which controls the thyroid. The pituitary, in turn, is controlled by way of the hypothalamus, a higher center in the brain. In many studies patients with hyperthyroidism relate the onset to major emotional or traumatic crises in their lives (that is, stressful situations that tell the unconscious that it should do something). Some of the symptoms seem like a prolonged negative (escape) response: elevated metabolic rate, increased sweating, diarrhea, rapid heartbeat, tremor, and apprehensiveness. Perhaps the unconscious believes that the crisis is here to stay and so it develops a lasting glandular alteration.

Or let us say that Betty, at the age of three years, discovers that she feels a pleasurable sensation when she plays with her clitoris. As she is experiencing this joyous new discovery, she is discovered by her prudish mother, who becomes horrified and spanks her, telling her she is a bad girl and forcing her to wash her hands and go to bed. Thus there is an association of the functioning of the sexual glands and the sexual parts of the body with the feeling of tension. As Betty grows older and finds herself becoming interested in boys, her mother’s attitude makes itself felt in her life. All her endeavors to meet and go out with boys are greeted with maternal disapproval, leading to tension on Betty’s part. In other words, whenever the sexual glands are functioning normally, which includes stimulating the body, there is an associated tension. As both a child and as a teenager, then, the activity of Betty’s sexual glands and the sexual parts of Betty’s body are being disturbed.

Because breast development is dependent upon the normal functioning of these glands, it would not be unusual to find that Betty’s breasts were delayed in their development. Indeed, they might never develop fully until this conditioning is altered. She might well have difficulties in her marriage because of pain on intercourse or sexual nonresponsiveness, irregular and troublesome periods, and difficulty, both physical and mental, in bearing and giving birth to children. I find early sexual repression to be a common pattern when the presenting complaints are of this type.

The coherency theory gives us a way to visualize how a gland can be involved in a reflex pattern. At the time when certain stimuli are present and when the tension is felt, incoherent information is being sent to the gland that is being used at the moment, just as it is sent down the nerve to the spastic stomach muscle in the person with an ulcer. This means that repetitions of the same stimuli and emotion on future occasions will cause this reaction to grow stronger and stronger and, as the years pass, the gland will actually begin to become measurably abnormal in its secretions. It is even easier to visualize how when this stress occurs during childhood, while the gland is growing, its development can be influenced.

Like most physicians I have observed the close connection between a person’s moods and feelings and the functioning of the endocrine system. Probably most people have known a woman who, fearing pregnancy, has missed her period by one, two, or three weeks, although her period may have been regular until that time. Often she will go to see a physician, fearing pregnancy. When informed that she is not pregnant, it is common for her to begin her period that very day. I feel that many glandular disorders may begin and end in response to stress or relaxation, but because the other glands don’t announce their state of activity by such a dramatic and immediate change as menstrual bleeding, the connection is not as readily detected.

A recent report described the use of melatonin to treat sleep disorders in hyperactive and neurologically compromised children: small nightly doses corrected the sleep problems, and investigators noticed improved mood and more stable and sociable dispositions tended to accompany the use of mleatonin with these children.

Melatonin also has exciting potential roles in ameliorating women’s health problems, such as osteoporosis, premenstrual syndrome, even birth control. As one of the body’s primary anti-stress hormones, it performs what are referred to as tonic and adaptogenic functions.

The Chemistry of Melatonin

Melatonin stabilizes the electrical actvity of the central nervous system and causes reapd synchronization of the elecytrical activity of te brin as well. In contrast, loss of the pineal gland predisposes animals to seizures. It has been proposed that the pineal, activn mostly but not exclusively through melatonin, is a “tranquilizing organ on behalf of homeostatic equilibrium”, and that it acts as a general synchronizing, stabilizing and moderating organ. This suggests that melatonin may have many applications for stabilizing and harmonizing aspects of brain function and chemical production.

Contraindications

If there is a weakness in our knowledge of the long terms effects of melatonin, it is in the area of this hormone’s indirect influences on the body. Individuals must find their own optimal dose. Starting doses are recommeded at 3 milligrams per day. Be sure to take melatonin in the evening. You might use it somewhat earlier than bedtime (5-8 pm). The optimal dose can vary widely in persons, apparently on account of drastic differences in the rate of which the liver metabolizes meltonin. The rate of metabolism is key to the increasing of doses over time.

Recent reports link the use of high levels of melatonin with sleep disorders, especially nightmares. These reports have been published mainly as case studies, but should be taken to heart with persons who are thinking of taking melatonin and are absolutely sure that there are no side effects. With any type of medication, there are always side effects if the dosage is not correct for individual needs.

Sports Performance

One of the most important aspects of proper performance (and one of the least practiced) is the concept of regular sleep patterns. Athletes are notorious for working their bodies extremely hard, and not getting the required sleep they need for proper performance. This is seen in a multitude of high school athletes who never make it through intercollegiate sports, and college athletes who do not continue after university sports. Dancers, and some professional athletes who have hectic travel schedules, who disregard the importance of sleep also limit their longevity in their sports.

Melatonin and General Health

People today have stressful lives. The importance of Melatonin cannot be understated if it can do what it proports to. It is estimated that one in four have trouble sleeping at some time. Most try to make up for it by sleeping in on weekends, but for many, to no avail.

Melatonin shows great promise for persons who are suffering from chronic diseases who may have psycholigical side effects of stress, worry, and trouble coping. Just getting a good night’s sleep for many helps in the recovery process.

Health and fitness professionals should be familiar with the benefical and side effects of the use of melatonin. Knowledge of beginning and graduating doses are also recomended. The chart below highlights a suggested progression as to the use of melatonin by condition and time.

Chart I
Experimental use of Melatonin
		Condition	Timing
Introductory dose	3 mg.	General	5-7 pm.
Moderate dose	200 mg.	IV use – research	evening
Large dose	300 mg.	women’s contraception study	evening
High dose	3,000 mg	toxicity study	evening

The optimal dose seems to be between 100-500 mg. per day given in the evening prior to bedtime. Taking melatonin in the daytime may exacerbate light damage to receptors in the eyes. For safety sake, all tablets should be taken in the dusk or evening hours.

Increasing Melatonin Production

The following list are some common sense facts about melatonin productions. Following these suggestions may help increase the natural production during the course of the day.

1. Get more early light time. Sleeping in can blur the distinction between night and day and reduce the amplitude of general sleep/wake cycles.

2. Be physically active in the day and limit naps to no more than 30 minutes. Activity turns off melatonin production during the day and reasies core temperature.

3. Try morning workouts as opposed to afternoon. The pineal gland is like a clock which needs to be reset every day. Combining light and activity is the most effective way to reset this clock.

4. Avoid caffeine and limit alcohol in the evening.

5. Eat larger high protein meals in the day, and smaller carbohydrate meals in the evening. Carbohydrates promote the production and delivery of tryptophan to the brain, which is the raw material from which melatonin and serotonin are made.
6. Eat dinner several hours before bedtime. Digestions raises core temperature which is undesireable for sleeping.

7. Avoid hard mental or physical work after about 6 pm. Stress hormones indeuced by work interferes with the production of serotonin and melatonin.




References

1. Barnett, ER. (pub). Physician’s Desk Reference for non-prescription drugs. Medical Economics Co. 1990.


2. Herbert, J. The age of dehyroepiandrosterone. Lancet. 345:1193-94, 1995.


3. Lewis, A.E., Cloutre, D. Melatonin and the biological clock. Keats Good Health Guide. Keats Publishing, New Canoon, CT. 1996.

What is Menstruation


Very simply, menstruation is house cleaning. Each month a woman’s body lines her uterus with a rich bed of blood vessels, glands, and cells in anticipation of new life. The ovaries sprout a harvest of eggs and then pop out the best one for conception. When the egg doesn’t meet a sperm, the womb must shed its lining and start anew.

A woman’s monthly cycle can be artificially divided into three segments: menstruation, the follicular phase, and the luteal phase.During the middle, or follicular, segment follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) prompts eggs in the ovary to mature and sprout a follicle, or layer of cells, which secrete estrogen. Estrogen levels then build until at their peak FSH is turned off and luteinizing hormone (LH) takes over.

LH causes ovulation, the departure of the egg from the ovary. Progesterone, master hormone of the last, or luteal, stage continues development of the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. When conception doesn’t occur, all hormone levels drop and menstruation begins.

Occasionally a woman may experience problems with her period. She may suffer from cramps during menstruation called dysmenorrhea. Premenstrual syndrome, a condition consisting of 150 recorded symptoms ranging from irritability to sugar cravings the week or two before her period, may be her problem. Sometimes its not the symptoms accompanying menses, but the flow itself that needs help. Irregular bleeding, spotting, bleeding too much, clots or a total absence of blood are all signs that a woman’s reproductive system needs
attention.

Faizi Medeiros, ND of Norwich, Vermont has developed a protocol specially designed to treat female disorders. “I’ve had great results with menstrual problems by treating the bowel, liver, and immune system,” she says. One reason why treating the liver using substances
such as methionine, choline, dandelion, and milk thistle work in these cases is because the liver is responsible for clearing potent forms of estrogen from the blood. When the liver becomes sluggish, blood estrogen levels can rise and cause problems.

Getting to Know Your Cycle

Even if your periods are problem-free, you can improve your overall health by becoming more aware of how your cycle functions. For hundreds of years, women have used certain physical signs as a form of birth control. Today, this system is known by many names:
natural family planning, fertility awareness method, ovulation method, sympto-thermal method, and others. What they all have in common is their own means of observing and recording fertility signs in order to avoid or achieve pregnancy. These methods can also be
used to increase the effectiveness of other contraceptives.

These very same signs, cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and positioning of the cervix, can be used for other purposes. When a woman charts these changes in her body, as well as her moods, her libido, what foods she craves, breast tenderness, the quality and
quantity of her menstrual flow and anything else that seems pertinent, she becomes more familiar with her body.

This information can be used to track PMS and thus allow a woman to make lifestyle alterations which may improve it. Because a woman becomes familiar with her body’s monthly metamorphosis, she learns to differentiate between breast changes and vaginal discharge that are normal and abnormal. By recording such information on a daily basis,
a woman can widen the doors of intimacy with her mate and enhance sexual understanding. Most of all, a woman gains knowledge of how her body cycles through each month.

Taking monthly charts along to physical exams is extremely beneficial for your physician. Not only does the information give your doctor a concise picture of your health, but opens communication lines between you and your practitioner. This allows you to ask and answer questions intelligently, and in the long run improve your health and the care you get.

Something else that is being discussed within scientific circles and among health care providers is the relationship between immunity and menstrual cycles. Research suggests that a woman’s immune system peaks before ovulation and begins to decline after the egg is
released. At New York’s Cornell University, investigators confirmed a common medical observation that women are usually struck by vaginal yeast and chlamydial infections just before their periods (1).

A Swedish team from Uppsala University proposed that immunity rises prior to ovulation in order to rid the body of germs in preparation for conception and pregnancy. After ovulation or conception has taken place, however, the immune system is depressed because you don’t want the body to fight two very important foreign elements: the sperm and fertilized egg (2).

Suzannah Doyle, a Fertility Awareness educator, says that women “tend to feel better, look better, feel their strongest, and most able to handle things during the fertile time before ovulation.” These physical characteristics such as clear skin and increased sex drive are the secondary fertility signs that are often discussed during natural family planning classes. Not only are they indications of a woman’s peak in health, says Doyle, but on an anthropological level they increase her attractiveness to her mate so the species can propagate.

Investigations are beginning to show, adds Doyle, that surgery, vaccinations, and prescription drugs are less harmful when used on a woman before ovulation. “I don’t think anyone has professionally or scientifically recommended this. Although a lot of individual studies have noticed that if you have surgery during your fertile time, your outcome is going to be much better than if you have it during your premenstrual phase. Recovery rates are better, incidence of death is less, rubella vaccinations done preovulatory have less side effects. Women get more drunk having a beer premenstrually than during their fertile time too.

“I’m proposing that in the future,” concludes Doyle, “that observing fertility signs will be a way that doctors can actually adjust drug dosages for their patients. I really see looking at
fertility signs as a way to increase diagnostic and drug therapy effectiveness eventually.”

Menstruation: A Time of Healing

Armed with the knowledge that immunity and menstruation are more complex than we first thought, the question remains: “Should we treat ourselves differently during this time?” Kisma Stepanich, author of Sister Moon Lodge: The Power & Mystery of Mensturation (Llewellyn Publications, 1992) states that menses is a period of healing and regeneration. She says that bleeding is a release and women are instinctively more inward, quiet, gentle, and slower during this time.

Medeiros agrees with Stepanich’s views. She advocates that her patients eat a clean diet, low in fats and sugars, drink lots of fluids, indulge in gentle outdoor exercise like walking, and practice meditation during their periods.

Doyle reports that her clients tell her they feel more powerful, energetic, and aroused during menstruation. She says this makes sense considering that menstrual flow is not that much different from the flow of fertile cervical mucus near ovulation. Doyle warns, however, that one of the most overlooked precautions regarding menses is intercourse and tampon use during heavy menstruation. Many studies now indicate that such activity is associated with a higher incidence of endometriosis.

Healthy menstruation is more than treating PMS or menstrual cramps. It is a woman understanding and honoring her unique monthly cycle. Coupling this knowledge and respect with a healthful lifestyle and, when needed, natural treatments, women can learn to enjoy and tune into their own rhythm.

1. Kalo-Klein A, Witkin SS. Candida albicans: cellular immune system interactions during different stages of the menstrual cycle. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 1989; 161(5): 1132-36.
   
2. Edelstam GAB, Lundkvist OE, Klareskog L, Karlsson-Parra A. Cyclic variation of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression in the human fallopian tube epithelium. Fertility and Sterility 1992; 57(6): 1225-29.
   
   ]]> 21664 https://healthy.net/2000/12/06/deficiency-syndromes-herbs-and-herbal-tonic-formulas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=deficiency-syndromes-herbs-and-herbal-tonic-formulas Wed, 06 Dec 2000 13:28:02 +0000 https://healthy.net/2000/12/06/deficiency-syndromes-herbs-and-herbal-tonic-formulas/ Tonics herbs are the highest and most sought-after herbal remedies in many
   traditional systems of healing, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
   and Ayurveda. These herbs nourish specific cells, tissues, organs, and the
   whole individual, and are often used for long periods of time. These remedies
   help focus and call forth the biogenetic potential or vitality of the individual
   for use such as supporting the immune system, nerve function or hormonal
   system.
   
   
   
   Tonics are very gentle and slow stimulants, and they provide nutrients that
   the body can use, such as vitamins, minerals, and many other constituents
   like plant pigments, such as anthocyanins or flavonoids. Large quantities
   can be given without harm of overstressing cells, tissues, organs or body
   systems.
   
   
   
   Most importantly, the therapeutic and toxic doses are very far apart–giving
   a large margin of safety. For this reason, these herbs are called “superior”
   herbs in TCM.
   
   
   
   The tonics are remedies that are well-tolerated, do not force the body to
   change and have a slow, nourishing and normalizing effect on body systems,
   imparting strength and tone. In western herbal medicine, these medicines
   were called “alteratives,” “roborants” or even “tonics.”
   The most famous example in this category is ginseng.
   
   
   
   The two types of tonics are:
   
   
   
   1) stimulating tonics (gently stimulates functional activity, like weight-lifting
   stresses and builds muscle)
   
   
   
   2) nourishing tonics (provides vitamins, minerals, other nutrients and building
   blocks for proper tissue health and organ function.
   
   
   
   Deficiency Conditions
   
   Deficiency of blood, Qi (vital energy), yin (vital essence) and yang (functional
   energy) are common and can lead to pathology and symptoms involving any
   body system. Herbal “tonics” are used to relieve deficiencies.
   Following is a list of herbs and herb formulas to tonify blood, Qi, yin
   and yang.
   
   
   
   Keep the following guidelines in mind when using tonics:
   
   
   
   • Take tonics regularly for at least 3 months, on up to 9 months (a usual
     course for moderate deficiencies) or even for years with chronic or severe
     deficiencies (AIDS).
     
   • Tonics are not suitable for people with excess conditions, such as robust
     individuals who have a stimulating diet with atherosclerosis.
     
   • Tonics are warming, so excess amounts must be avoided during the acute
     phases of pathological heat-type infections–or use sparingly with cool,
     heat-clearing herbs, such as oregon grape root.
     
   • Tonics are often sticky and moistening (rehmannia), so they should be
     used cautiously with damp, stagnant spleen conditions (add aromatic, pungent
     herbs like atractylodes or ginger to counteract this tendency) and with
     overweight people.
     
   
   
   
   Blood Tonics
   
   Symptoms: dizziness, pale face, lips and tongue, fatigue, small pulse; in
   women, scanty or absent menstrual flow.
   
   

   
   
   Shu di huang   rehmannia rt           ht, liv, ki    fatigue, poor sleep, chronic fatigue,
   
                  (prepared)                            infertility, impotence
   
   He shou wu     Polygonum              liv, ki        weak heart, palpitations, involuntary
   
                  multiflorum rt                        seminal emission
   
   Dang gui       Angelica sinensis rt   ht, liv, sp    menstual imbalances, infertility,
   
                                                        constipation during menstruation,
   
                                                        menstrual pain
   
   Bai shao*      Peonia alba rt         liv            pain, excessive menstual bleeding
   
   **P.
   
                                                        californica avail. Santa Lucia mts.,
   
                                                        south; P. alba is a common ornamental
   
   Gou qi zi      Lycium fr              liv, ki        increases production of sperm and
   
                                                        blood, supports vision
   
   Nettles lf*                           liv, ki        prostatitis, fatigue, poor sperm
   
                                                        production, scanty menstrual flow
   
   Yellow                                   liv, li        constipation, poor fat digestion, low
   
   dock
   
   root*                                           hematocrit during pregnancy
   
   Spirulina*                            liv, ki, ht    low hematocrit, protein deficiency in
   
                                                        vegetarians, low sperm count
   
   Sea                                   ki, ht, liv    slow metabolism, overweight,
   
   vegetation*                                          neurasthenia, weakness due to anemia
   
   

   
   Qi Tonics
   
   Symptoms: fatigue, often poor digestion accompanied by gas, pain, bloating
   after meals; depression, chronic loose bowels, a feeling of heaviness in
   the limbs.
   
   

   
   
   Ren shen      ginseng rt             lu, sp        fatigue, poor appetite, poor digestion,
   
                                                      heart palpitations, low sex drive,
   
                                                      impotence, infertility
   
   Dang shen*    codonopsis rt          lu, sp        painful digestion, weakness, fatigue, low
   
                                                      semen production, low appetite
   
   Bellflower*   Campanula sp.          lu, sp        American species with large, sweet roots
   
                                                      may be a substitute for codonopsis
   
   Tai zhi shen  Pseudostellaria rt     sp, lu        improves digestion, low appetite, mental
   
                                                      fatigue, neurasthenia
   
   Huang qi*     Astragalus rt          sp, lu        cancer, cysts, weakness, diarrhea, poor
   
                                                      appetite with fatigue
   
   Shan yao      Dioscorea rt           sp, lu        poor appetite, digestion, diarrhea with
   
                                                      weakness, cough with weakness, seminal
   
                                                      emission, frequent urination with weakness
   
   Bai shu       Atractylodis alba rt   sp, st        diarrhea, poor digestion, fatigue, low
   
                                                      appetite, mental fatigue, water retention,
   
                                                      nausea, fetal restlessness
   
   Da zao*       Zizypus fr             sp            harmonizes other herbs, poor appetite,
   
                                                      digestion, anxiety, sleeplessness **red
   
                                                      Chinese dates can be grown
   
   Gan cao*      licorice rt            all 12        pathogenic heat, ulcers, controls cough,
   
                                                      swellings, boils, palpitations, toxicity
   
                                                      during pregnancy **Glycyrrhiza lepidota is
   
                                                      wild American sp.
   
   Huang jing    Polygonatum rz         sp, lu        strengthens sperm, debility, weakness, dry
   
                                                      cough, thirst**P. pubescens common
   
                                                      East-coast sp.
   
   Maltose*      Saccharum granorum     sp, lu, st    pain, coughs, poor digestion with weakness
   
                                                      **substitute barley malt, brown rice syrup
   
   Yams*
   
   baked,  Ipoema batatas         sp            poor appetite, fatigue, spontaneous
   
   dried                                              sweating, anorexia, mental lassitude
   
   Eryngo, sea   Eryngium sp.           sp, st, lu    baked, honeyed roots make an excellent Qi
   
   holly*                                             tonic for the lungs and digestion; species
   
                                                      available locally; western substitute for
   
                                                      atractylodes
   
   

   
   Yin Tonics
   
   Symptoms: ringing in the ears, fatigue, lower back pain, weak knees, night
   sweats.
   

   
   
   Sha shen        Glehnia rt            lu, ki       pain, edema, colds, pathogenic heatXi
   
                                                      yang shen
   
   American*       Panax quinquefolium   lu, st       dry cough with deficiency heat, weakness
   
   ginseng         rt                                 due to stress, sugar addiction
   
   Tian men dong*  Asparagus rt (A.      lu, ki       cough with fatigue, weakness, neurasthenia
   
                   filicinus)
   
   Mai men dong    Ophiopogon rt         lu, st, ht   coughs, thirst, lung weakness with
   
                                                      general fatigue, constipation, blood
   
                                                      sugar irregularity
   
   Shi hu          Dendrobium hb         st, lu, ki   thirst, fevers, weakness due to sexual
   
                                                      excess, low back pain, weak knees
   
   Bai he          Lilium bulb           lu, ht       low-grade fever, restlessness,
   
                                                      sleeplessness, heart palpitations
   
   Shang ji sheng  Loranthus rm          li, ki       uterine bleeding during pregnancy,
   
                                                      restless fetus, dry skin, brittle hair,
   
                                                      weak bones
   
   Han lian cao*   Eclipta hb            li, ki       dizziness, vertigo, graying of hair,
   
                                                      excessive menstrual bleeding
   
   Nu zhen zi*     Ligustrum fr          li, ki       fatigue, weakness due to excessive sexual
   
                                                      activity, dizziness, tinnitis, spots in
   
                                                      front of eyes; common ornamental, widely
   
                                                      avail.
   
   Hei zhi ma*     black sesame sm       li, ki       weakness, severe illness recovery,
   
                                                      headaches, menstrual constipation
   
   Bai mu er*      Tremella fb           lu, st, ki   dryness, lung heat conditions, dry cough,
   
                                                      scanty menstruation, low semen output
   
   Yams*           baked, sliced, dried  lu, sp, ki   yin deficiency, fatigue, poor digestion
   
   

   
   Yang Tonics
   
   Symptoms: same as under yin tonics, but with a feeling of coldness, avoidance
   of cold and low sex drive.
   
   ]]> 14728 https://healthy.net/2000/12/06/nutritional-program-for-premenstrual-syndrome-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nutritional-program-for-premenstrual-syndrome-2 Wed, 06 Dec 2000 13:28:02 +0000 https://healthy.net/2000/12/06/nutritional-program-for-premenstrual-syndrome-2/
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Premenstrual Syndrome Nutrient Program

   
   
   

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   Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a recently described problem. Although the history of symptoms that occur around the menstrual cycle is ancient, it is likely that modern-day women, with increased demands and stresses, changes in nutrition, and new careers that take them away from their natural cycle and their connection to the home, garden, and nature, are particularly susceptible to such symptoms. Women might think about these symptoms as a call of the womb and the moon to be more attuned to their female cycle. It may not be easy, but I believe it is possible for women to stay connected to their female cycles and still be active and productive in the outer world. This may require more care in regard to nutrition and a supplement program that counteracts stress while supporting the female organs and hormone functions. Stress (and being out of touch with emotions or not following their true emotions) is definitely a big factor in women’s premenstrual symptoms.
   

   
   The current medical theories about PMS or, as it is sometimes termed, premenstrual tension (PMT), relate it to an estrogen-progesterone imbalance, particularly reactions to the increased estradiol levels. During the second half of the cycle, after ovulation, progesterone levels normally rise, while estrogen levels also rise slightly. These changes can influence water retention, causing some fullness of the uterus and other body tissues; this seems to be exaggerated premenstrually with the relatively deficient level of progesterone. Many of the symptoms, such as bloating, breast swelling and tenderness, fatigue, headaches, emotional irritability, depression, back pain, and pelvic pain, are probably a result of the water retention and subsequent emotional tension. Other hormonal and physiological factors, or effects on the immune system, may contribute to the problem as well. Less common symptoms include dizziness, fainting, cystitis, hives, acne, sore throat, joint pains and swelling, and constipation.
   

   
   Low progesterone levels seem to be the main factor in PMS symptoms. Why progesterone levels may be low has not yet been determined, but many women seem to respond to treatment with progesterone in the second half of their cycle, from just after ovulation to the usual time of menstruation. A common treatment is to use vaginal or rectal suppositories containing progesterone (or even topical progesterone) once or twice daily. The newer treatment is oral, micronized progesterone that is not destroyed by the gastrointestinal tract or broken down by the liver. Usually, however, progesterone therapy is not needed, because most women will respond to a nutritional and herbal approach to treating PMS. Many nutrients are needed, but probably the two most important ones are vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and magnesium. B6 helps to clear water through a diuretic effect on the kidneys. Usually 50–100 mg. once or twice daily will be effective. A complete B vitamin supplement is also necessary to prevent these higher amounts of B6 from causing imbalances of other B vitamins. It has been theorized and shown in some studies that magnesium deficiency within the cells is also correlated with some of the PMS symptoms. Supplementing magnesium at amounts equal to up to one and a half times the calcium level, that is, about 800–1,200 mg., is helpful in reducing some PMS symptoms. Zinc is also an important mineral here.
   

   
   Other possible menstrual irregularities, as discussed by Susan Lark, M.D., in the PMS Self Help Book (Celestial Arts, Berkeley, CA, 1984), have symptoms that may be related to low estrogen levels. Women with this problem often experience more of their symptoms after their period than before it. This low-estrogen state is far less common than the progesterone deficiency. Occasionally, tests to measure hormonal levels can be done at specific times of the month. However, these are expensive and not always easy to interpret (the range of normal is wide) unless done repeatedly. Generally though, as long as there are relatively regular menstrual periods, these ovarian and pituitary hormone levels will be within normal values. Other tests that may be abnormal include thyroid hormone levels, thyroid antibodies, or antiovarian antibodies, which may represent some autoimmune problems.
   

   
   Another common symptom, not only of PMS but of most women’s premenstrual time, is a craving for sweets. This desire is often enhanced in those with PMS, which brings up another important point. Women with PMS often have other correlating conditions that may contribute to symptoms. These include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), candidiasis (an overgrowth of and hypersensitivity to the common yeast Candida albicans), food and/or environmental allergies, moderate to severe stress, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Whether these problems contribute to or are a result of the premenstrual and hormonal problems is not clear, but it is important to evaluate women for these conditions when they either have significant PMS symptoms or do not respond well to treatment. PMS is definitely aggravated by low blood sugar generated by stress and an intake of refined flour and sugar products.
   

   
   From a dietary point of view, it is important to avoid the food stressors, irritants, and stimulants that, if they do not contribute to the PMS problem in the first place, definitely make it worse. These include sugars and refined foods, caffeine, alcohol, and chemicals. A diet that helps in reducing symptoms is a balanced, wholesome, and high-nutrient one, with lots of whole grains, leafy greens and other vegetables, good protein foods, and some fruits, but a minimum of fruit juice. A hypoglycemic diet of regular meals and protein-oriented snacks is often helpful. If there are yeast or allergy problems, a diet to help with those conditions (see previous programs) would be beneficial. If these problems are not present, extra brewer’s yeast, with its high levels of B vitamins and minerals, can be a supportive food. Eating a variety of foods and a modified rotation diet (as is discussed in the Allergy program in this chapter) are also helpful in getting the wide range of important nutrients and maximizing food sensitivities. Some women also experience a reduction of symptoms through colon detoxification and a cleansing-type diet high in juices, soups, and salads. Intake of fiber as psyllium or bran started a week before symptoms usually begin will improve colon elimination, and an enema or colonic irrigation at the time symptoms begin might be helpful.
   

   
   Premenstrual syndrome is more common in women in their 30s and 40s than in those in their 20s and teenage years. Dr. Lark points out a number of other factors associated with an increased likelihood of PMS problems—these include women who are or have been married, do not exercise, have had children, experience side effects from birth control pills, have had a pregnancy complicated by toxemia, have a significant amount of emotional stress in their lives, or those whose nutritional habits lead to certain deficiencies or excesses. Dietary factors that worsen PMS include foods high in refined sugars and fats, processed or chemical foods, caffeine drinks (coffee, tea, colas), alcohol (especially wine and beer with the higher carbohydrate level), chocolate products, eggs, cheese, red meats, and high-salt foods. A natural food diet, of course, will help alleviate the symptoms of PMS.
   

   
   British physician Katherine Dalton, M.D., was one of the first to describe PMS and offer some therapeutic help. Guy Abraham, an obstetrician-gynecologist, has further classified PMS problems, a system that Dr. Lark also discusses in her book. The four main types are:

   
   
   1. Type A (“anxiety”)—a mixture of emotional symptoms: anxiety, irritability, and mood swings.
      
   2. Type C (“carbohydrates” and “cravings”)—sugar cravings, fatigue, and headaches.
      
   3. Type H (“hyperhydration”), also known as Type W (“water retention”)—bloating, weight gain, and breast swelling and tenderness.
      
   4. Type D(“depression”)—depression, confusion, and memory loss.
      

   Other groups of symptoms include acne—oily skin and hair and acne—and dysmenorrhea (painful periods)—cramps, low back pain, nausea, and vomiting; recently classified as Type P for pain.
   

   
   Dr. Susan Lark’s PMS Self Help Book provides specific treatment plans for the different types of symptoms. The recommendations for the different types, including diet and suggestions, are all very similar. In her programs, all include some form of stress reduction, exercise, supplementation, herbal therapy, acupressure massage, and yoga postures.
   

   
   For acne problems with PMS, extra vitamin A (20,000–40,000 IUs, mainly as beta-carotene) and zinc (20–40 mg.) are usually helpful. Choline and inositol, nutrients found in lecithin, may help nourish the skin; 500 mg. of each daily are recommended.
   

   
   Dysmenorrhea and other pain problems respond well to higher amounts of magnesium, about 500 mg. more than calcium, as this has a nerve tranquilizing and muscle relaxing effect. Vitamin E (400–800 IUs) and vitamin B6 (100–300 mg. daily) may also be helpful in reducing pain. Extra B vitamins and a general vitamin and mineral program are usually also necessary.
   

   
   Anxiety symptoms, such as mood swings and irritability, often respond to extra B vitamins, particularly thiamine (B1), 150–250 mg. per day, and pyridoxine (B6), 200–300 mg. per day, with about 50 mg. each of the rest of the B vitamins. Using inositol and extra magnesium, such as magnesium citrate (which causes fewer bowel symptoms, especially diarrhea, than other magnesium salts), about 400–600 mg. daily, will help. Progesterone therapy may be most helpful for Type A, or anxiety, problems. A doctor must be consulted for this therapy. Also, phenylethanolamine (PEA), a substance found in certain foods, such as bananas, chocolate, and hard cheeses, may increase symptoms of anxiety. These foods should be avoided in this type of PMS.
   

   
   For depression, added tryptophan (if available), 1,000 mg. before bed, may be helpful. If this does not help, or if it causes side effects, such as headache, Stuart Berger, in his Immune Power Diet, recommends trying another amino-acid, L-phenylalanine, in the same dosage. Zinc, vitamin B6, and calcium/magnesium may also be beneficial in reducing premenstrual depression.
   

   
   For women with the Type C, or sugar cravings, pattern, often associated with stress, fatigue, and headaches, confusion, or dizziness, a program that should help reduce these symptoms supplements the basic vitamin and mineral plan with additional B vitamins, particularly B6, 200–300 mg. per day, and B1, 150–250 mg. per day; chromium, 200–400 mcg.; vitamin E, 800 IUs; and vitamin C, around 6–8 grams per day. Eating frequent, small meals and avoiding sugar will also be helpful in reducing cravings.
   

   
   For Type H with water or bloating problems, which can be the most troublesome, causing weight gain, breast tenderness, and general emotional upset, the basic B vitamins, including high amounts of B6 and supplemental B1, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and evening primrose oil (with GLA, gamma-linolenic acid, as the active ingredient), 1–2 capsules taken three times daily, may be very helpful. (I have seen evening primrose oil be helpful for many women with various PMS symptoms.) Also, with water retention problems, food allergy, particularly to wheat, may be a contributing factor. A trial of a couple of months of avoiding wheat products can aid in providing relief of symptoms. Sometimes the response can be dramatic. Regular exercise is also important in reducing this type of PMS.
   

   
   Many herbs are helpful in treating PMS. Angelica, or dong quai, is a commonly used herb that acts as an energizer and female tonic when it is taken regularly as capsules (2 capsules twice a day) or as a tea. Ginger root acts as a circulation aid and mild stimulant and is helpful in getting some of that retained water moving. Other diuretic herbs include parsley and juniper berry. Licorice root is a good balancer and seems to provide an “up” feeling when drunk with some ginger as a tea. Their flavors tend to combine well. Valerian root or catnip tea will provide some relaxation when there is general anxiety or irritability. Sarsaparilla is a tonifying (strengthening) herb that supports the hormonal functions and may actually contain some hormones itself. There are also many herbal formulas for treating PMS and for strengthening the female functions. One that I have found helpful to my patients is FE-G (Female General Tonic), made by Professional Botanicals. It contains black haw, licorice, false unicorn root (estrogen-containing plant), ginseng root, ginger, and life root. I recommend 2 capsules two or three times daily, usually for three to six months if it appears helpful. In the first month or two herbs tend to work more slowly and must be taken over a longer period of time than stronger pharmaceuticals. There are many similar formulas available now for PMS and other female problems.
   

   
   

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   Premenstrual Tension (PMT)
   

   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Type	Main Symptoms	Key Treatment Plans
   PMT-A	Anxiety	Magnesium 400–600 mg. per day. Progesterone therapy. Low PEA diet-avoid chocolate, bananas, and hard cheeses.
   PMT-D	Depression	Zinc 30–60 mg. per day. Vitamin B6 100–300 mg. per day. Magnesium 400–600 mg. per day. Triptophan 1,000–1,500 mg. before bed or 500 mg. two or three times daily.
   PMT-H or W	Water retention	Avoid foods allergens, particularly wheat. Potassium 1–2 grams per day, plus potassium foods. B complex vitamins with extra B6 50–200 mg. per day. Regular exercise.
   PMT-P	Plain	Vitamin E 400–800 IUs per day. Magnesium 400–600 mg. per day.
   PMT-C	Cravings	Low-sugar diet. Frequent small meals. Chromium 200–400 mcg. per day

   
   
   
   

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   Some doctors also use glandular supplements in treating PMS. In Super Fitness Beyond Vitamins (New American Library, New York, 1987), Michael Rosenbaum, M.D., describes his success with the use of pituitary, particularly anterior pituitary, extract in treating stubborn PMS symptoms. Brain and pancreas glandular supplements may also be helpful, Dr. Rosenbaum points out.
   

   
   There are also many nutritional supplement formulas available for premenstrual syndrome. The table below presents an all-encompassing nutrient program (most of these nutrients are best taken in two or three portions over the course of the day). This may be tailored for specific symptoms by application of the suggestions given earlier. Of course, many of the nutrients listed are consumed in the diet. Supplementation of sodium, potassium, chloride, fluoride, iodine, and phosphorus is usually not necessary, though additional potassium, about 1 to 2 grams, may be helpful in some cases. Even extra vitamins D and K may not be needed. The precursor of B6 (pyridoxine), pyridoxal-5-phosphate, may actually be more effective than B6 itself, because some people may not be able to easily convert the pyridoxine to its usable form. Both forms of vitamin B3 are used; niacin offers some circulatory stimulation and flushing while niacinamide supports the general neuromuscular relaxation of B3.
   

   
   I have seen a high rate of success in the improvement and elimination of symptoms in women who change their diets and implement a regular supplement program. I have also heard other gynecologists, family doctors, and nurse practitioners claim that they see nearly an 80 percent success rate with a good program. Of course, learning to deal better with life stresses, relationships, and sexual issues will further increase the likelihood of success.
   

   
   

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   Premenstrual Syndrome Nutrient Program**
   

   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Vitamin A	5,000–10,000 IUs		Calcium	800–1,000 mg.
   Beta-carotene	10,000–20,000 IUs		Chromium	200–400 mcg.
   Vitamin D	200–600 IUs		Copper	1–2 mg.
   Vitamin E	400–1,000 IUs		Iodine*	150–300 mcg.
   Vitamin K*	150–300 mcg.		Iron	15–20 mg.
   Thiamine (B1)	50–250 mg.		Magnesium	750–1,500 mg.
   Riboflavin (B2)	50–100 mg.		Manganese	2.5–15 mg.
   Niacin (B3)	25–100 mg.		Molybdenum	150–500 mcg.
   Niacinamide (B3)	50–100 mg.		Phosphorus*	800–1,000 mg.
   Pantothenic acid (B5)	50–500 mg.		Potassium*	.5–5.0 g.
   Pyridoxine (B6)	50–200 mg.		Selenium	150–300 mcg.
   Pyridoxal-5-phosphate	50–150 mg.		Zinc	15–30 mg.
   Cobalamin (B12)	50–200 mcg.
   Folic acid	400–800 mcg.		Gamma-linolenic acid	3–6 capsules
   Biotin	50–400 mcg.		Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA plus DHA)	1–2 capsules
   Choline	500–1,000 mg.		L-amino acid formula	1,000 mg.
   Inositol	500–1,000 mg.		L-tryptophan+ (before bed)	250–500 mg.
   PABA	50–100 mg.		L-phenylalanine (in 2 doses during the day)	500–1,000 mg.
   Vitamin C	1–3 g.
   Bioflavonoids	250–500 mg.

   
   
   

   
   

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   *These nutrients will not usually be supplemented.
   
   +Only, of course, if L-tryptophan is available.
   
   **Digestive enzymes, herbs, and glandulars may also be helpful in reducing PMS problems.
   
   ]]> 21783 https://healthy.net/2000/12/06/your-home-pharmacy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=your-home-pharmacy Wed, 06 Dec 2000 13:28:02 +0000 https://healthy.net/2000/12/06/your-home-pharmacy/

   Here is a list of drugs and other things you should keep at home for self-care. Store them in a handy, dry place, but out of children’s reach. Check the expiration date often. Throw away and replace ones that are outdated.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Medications	Use
   Acetaminophen ex: Aspirin-Free Anacin, Tylenol	Pain relief, reduces fever
   Activated charcoal (binds certain chemicals when swallowed) [NOTE: Call Poison Control Center first]	Oral Poisoning for some poisons
   Antacids (liquid or tablets) ex: Tums, Rolaids, Mylanta, Amphojel	Stomach upset, heartburn
   Antibiotic cream or ointment ex: Neosporin	Minor skin infection, wounds
   Anti-diarrheal medicine ex: Kaopectate, Immodium A-D, Donnagel	Diarrhea
   Antifungal preparations ex: Tinactin	Fungal infections such as athlete’s foot
   Antihistamines ex: Dristan, Triaminic, Benadryl	Allergies, cold symptom relief
   Anti-motion sickness ex: Dramamine	Motion sickness
   Antiseptic preparation ex: Betadine	Abrasions, cuts
   Aspirin* ex: Anacin, Bayer, Bufferin	Pain relief, reduces fever and swelling
   Cough medicine with expectorant (look for one with Guaifenison) ex: Robitussin	Cough with mucus
   Cough suppressant without expectorant(look for one with Dextromethorphan ex: Robitussin DM	Dry cough without mucus
   Decongestant (tablets, nose spray, etc.) ex: Dristan Nasal Spray, Sudafed, Dimetapp	Stuffy and runny nose, post-nasal drip from colds, allergies
   Ear wax dissolver ex: Debrox	Ear wax
   Eye drops and artificial tears ex: Murine, Visine	Minor eye irritations
   Hemorrhoid preparations ex: Hemorid	Hemorrhoids
   Hydrocortisone cream ex: Cortaid, Lanacort	Minor skin irritations, itching and rashes
   Ibuprofen (adult) ex: Advil	Pain relief, reduces fever and swelling
   Laxatives ex: Ex-Lax, Correctol, Milk of Magnesia	Constipation
   Moisturizer ex: Jergens Lotion	Dry skin
   Naproxen Sodium (adult) ex: Aleve	Pain relief, reduces fever and swelling
   Petroleum jelly ex: Vaseline	Chafing, dry skin
   Rubbing alcohol	Topical antiseptic, clean thermometer
   Sanitary napkins, tampons	Menstruation
   Sunscreen – look for one with SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or more	Prevent sunburn, protect against skin cancer
   Syrup of Ipecac (NOTE: Call Poison Control Center first)	To induce vomiting for some poisons
   Throat anesthetic preparations ex: Sucret throat lozenges, Chloraseptic spray	Minor sore throat
   Toothache – relief preparation ex. Anbesol	Toothache
   Supplies	Use
   Adhesive bandages	Minor wounds
   Adhesive tape, sterile gauze pads, roll of sterile gauze and scissors	To dress minor wounds
   Cotton balls, cotton tipped applicators	Minor wounds
   Elastic bandages and clips	Minor strains and sprains
   Heating pad/hot water bottle	Minor pains, strains, menstrual cramps
   Humidifier, vaporizer (cool mist)	Add moisture to the air
   Ice pack/Heat pack	Minor pain and injuries
   Thermometer (mercury-containing, digital, etc.) Basal thermometer if using natural family planning method for birth control.	Fever
   Tongue depressor, flashlight	Check for redness or infection in throat
   Tweezers	Remove splinters

   
   

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