A traditional plant from the forests of South America may be the next big diet breakthrough, holding important chemical keys to weight loss and a lean physique. Yerba Mate’ (Ilex paraguariensis) is a tree cultivated in Paraguay, Brazil and northern Argentina. For centuries yerba mate’ has been consumed as a traditional tonic and natural stimulant beverage. The leaves of Yerba Mate’ are made into a hot or cold beverage, and this Yerba Mate’ “tea” is drunk to alleviate fatigue, suppress appetite, stimulate body and mind, and boost metabolism. Yerba mate’ also demonstrates 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity, which makes the herb of use in some cases of mild to moderate asthma. Over the past few years, various brands of Yerba mate’ have shown up in the natural foods stores and increasingly in conventional food stores as well.

Yerba mate’ contains more than 250 known natural compounds, most notably the alkaloids caffeine, theophylline and theobromine.  These agents promote central nervous stimulation, and act as diuretics, causing the body to shed water.  Additionally, Yerba mate’ is rich in a group of compounds called the chlorogenic acids. These agents help to suppress appetite, regulate metabolism and inhibit fat production.  This makes Yerba mate’ an ideal agent in the fight against unwanted body fat.

Dried Yerba Mate’ naturally contains approximately 1 – 2 percent caffeine. But most significant is the chlorogenic acids value of Yerba mate’. Dried Yerba Mate’ naturally contains approximately 10% of this unique group of compounds.  Chlorogenic acids also shows up in concentration in coffee, and this is why a shot of espresso after a meal can aid digestion, slow glucose release into the blood stream, and help to reduce production of fat.

There are several means by which weight loss and weight control can be achieved. Though calorie restriction almost inevitably results in better weight control, this approach is often difficult in and of itself. Exercise too is a highly significant factor in weight control, but often people find that due to lifestyle demands they cannot be consistent enough in an exercise program to achieve weight goals. Among the other means of weight control, glucose control, thermogenesis, appetite suppression and increased diuresis can enhance your ability to reduce weight and keep it off. Yerba mate’ performs these functions, thereby improving the odds of achieving weight goals. Drinking Yerba mate’ helps to stabilize blood sugar, suppress appetite, increase caloric burn rate, and increase urination, thereby reducing overall body water weight. Safe and effective, Yerba mate’ may be just what you require to meet your weight goals.

Guidelines for Use
A traditional plant with a long history of safe use, Yerba mate’ is a modern diet aid when incorporated daily into the diet. My recommendation is to drink 2 – 4 cups of yerba mate daily. You can find it plain or in flavors like chai spice or mixed with mint. As for brands of Yerba mate’, I recommend Guayaki, Mate’ Factor and Pixie brands, all of which can be found in natural food stores. Do not expect miracle weight loss. If you eat sensibly and exercise on a regular basis, Yerba mate will help you to gradually reduce excess weight. It takes time to become overweight, and it takes time to shed pounds as well.

Recipes for Boosting Immunity

Dr. Manny and I did a segment on immunity-enhancing blender drinks, and more than a few of you asked for recipes.   So here you go.

Acai super smoothie
In a blender, add one freezer pack of acai (like Sambazon brand), or 8 ounces of any acai juice
One banana
A handful of blueberries, fresh or frozen
One tablespoon of maca powder (like Navitas brand)
Blend until smooth and drink for energy and overall vitality enhancement

Yerba mate’ Immune Booster
In a teapot add two bags of yerba mate tea (Guayaki or Mate Factor or Pixie brands)
Finely shred one piece of fresh ginger the size of a thumb
The juice of one fresh lemon
Fill teapot with freshly boiled water and steep for minimum five minutes
Strain and drink with honey added to taste

Pomegranate Blast
In a blender, add 8 ounces of pomegranate juice
A handful of dried Goji berries (available in natural food stores)
4 or 5 fresh strawberries
A couple of large spoons of yogurt
Blend until smooth

The above recipes all have one thing in common. They provide concentrated nutrition, lots of potent antioxidant protection, and a delicious way to enhance your overall health. Enjoy!

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany courses at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com

One of the most common of all health problems is pain. It can be caused by injury, illness or degeneration, and most people don’t like it one bit. Pain affects us deeply, wearing us out and reducing energy.  In nature’s vast botanical pharmacy, a number of herbs provide relief of pain, without causing the stomach, kidney or other problems associated with some pain-relieving drugs.

Turmeric

High on the list of pain-relieving herbs is Turmeric root, which contains an array of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds known as the curcuminoids.  A perennial shrub native to Southeast Asia and cultivated widely throughout India, China and Indonesia, turmeric root is the yellow in curry powder.  Concentrated extracts of turmeric root are rich in the curcuminoids, which help to reduce inflammation and thereby relieve pain. How to use it? You can purchase turmeric root fresh in some supermarkets, and use it as a vegetable. You can add the powder to vegetables, soups, stews, meats and fish. And you can take special supplements of concentrated turmeric extract. Some turmeric supplements can relieve pain quite effectively. See Curamin by EuroPharma, or Turmeric capsules by New Chapter.

Ginger

Ginger root may seem like something better suited for ginger ale than for pain relief, but this spicy root native to Southeast Asia is a pain-fighting heavyweight. Ginger is cultivated in virtually all tropical regions, and I have seen it in many places in my travels. Ginger root is rich in two groups of compounds called gingerols and shogaols, which are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory in their activity. Ginger root tea will relieve a sore throat faster than just about anything, and will also soothe aching, arthritic joints. Finely grate a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger root, and put into a one-cup tea strainer. Pour boiling water into the cup and let sit for five minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey of you like. This will give you a strong shot of pain relief. Also you can eat Ginger Chews or Ting Tings, two ginger-rich chewable candies.

Cat’s Claw

If the name Cat’s Claw sounds a bit exotic, maybe it’s because this potent anti-inflammatory herb comes from the heart of the great Amazon rainforest, and is the most widely used of all pain-relievers in that vast region. Cat’s claw derives its name from sharp, claw-like thorns which help the plant to climb toward sunshine. The root and bark of the vine contain compounds called oxindole alkaloids, which demonstrate very significant pain-relieving power.  In human studies cat’s claw extract proves effective in the treatment of both osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. For brands check out Saventaro Cat’s Claw capsules or liquid the Cat’s Claw extract from Raintree Nutrition. Let the healing power of the Amazon rainforest provide relief for you.

Rosemary

Rosemary is not only a great savory seasoning for vegetables, meats and fish, but it also stands among the great anti-inflammatory herbs. Native to the Mediterranean, this fragrant perennial herb is widely cultivated around the world for its delightful aroma and flavor. But rosemary is more than just a pleasant seasoning. The herb, eaten or taken as a tea, is excellent for the liver, helping to eliminate toxins.  Like turmeric, ginger and cat’s claw, rosemary is rich with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. Two great ways to derive benefit from rosemary are to add it to foods, and to drink rosemary tea. Check out Alvita brand rosemary leaf tea.

Chili Peppers

It may seem counter-intuitive to turn to hot chili peppers for pain relief, but these incendiary relatives of the sweet pepper are rich in a resinous substance called capsaicin, which is responsible for the heat that hot chiles produce. Capsaicin rapidly relieves pain when topically applied to hurt and sore areas. But just a tiny bit goes a long way. Next time you’re in a pharmacy, look at the Capsaicin creams. Each one contains just one quarter of one percent capsaicin (the stuff is extremely powerful). Capsaicin cream is the most widely recommended pain relieving cream by doctors, because it works. Who would have thought that a primary component of salsa could relive pain in joints and muscles? By the way, hot chile peppers are also great for digestion, and help to greatly improve circulation when chopped in foods or in hot sauces. I favor Tabasco Sauce, but there are a great many excellent hot sauces available today. 

Even with something as difficult as pain, nature provides safe, effective solutions. Chronic pain especially will respond well to the herbs I’ve just described. Make them part of your ever-healthier lifestyle, and rid yourself of the burden of pain. Best of health to you!

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com

The name Horny Goat Weed catches everybody’s attention. But behind the clever name lies a serious herb. For horny goat weed is a genuine sex-enhancer, a time-tested aphrodisiac that increases libido in men and women, and improves erectile function in men. 

Known also as Epimedium or Yin Yang Huo, horny goat weed leaves were purportedly the food of the yin yang, a mythical animal which achieved one hundred sexual climaxes a day. This legend points to the reputed sexual potency of horny goat weed, and its honored place in traditional Chinese medicine.

Used for over 2,000 years, horny goat weed is any of several species of epimedium (brevicorum, sagittatum and grandiflorum), a leafy plant which grows profusely in the wild, most abundantly at higher altitudes. The leaves of the plant contain a variety of flavonoids, polysaccharides, sterols and an alkaloid called magnaflorine. One of the flavonoids, icariin, is believed to play a role in the sex-boosting effects of the plant, which is used to restore sexual fire, boost erectile function, allay fatigue, and alleviate menopausal discomfort.

To get to the truth about horny goat weed, I travelled to Shanghai and met with six top doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including the chief physician of Shanghai’s famous Longhua hospital, a top gastroenterologist, a pharmacogonocist, a phytochemist and two other practicing medical doctors. “What do you think about epimedium?” I asked the group. “Is it truly effective as a sex-enhancer?” There were affirmative shaking of heads all around. “Oh, yes, yes.” exclaimed one. “We have all used epimedium for decades in our practices. It is the very best sexual tonic for both men and women.” I probed further. Does the plant truly help with erectile function as some claim? Two of the physicians explained that in clinical practice, they have successfully used epimedium to treat erectile problems, to boost waning libido, and to rebuild youthful sexual vitality. “It gives you back your sexual strength,” noted another with emphasis. 

With a group of Chinese medicinal plant experts including a botanist named Sheng,  we set off to see where epimedium, or horny goat weed, grows in the wild. Our destination was Tianmushan, a large mountain area in the northern corner of Zhejiang Province. As we journeyed to remote Tianmu Mountain, Sheng explained the collection of epimedium, horny goat weed. “All epimedium is picked wild, and this raises a lot of questions. The plant is very abundant. It grows all over, so there is a lot. But people ask about epimedium being over-harvested. There is nothing to worry about in that regard. As long as the roots remain in the ground, it comes up every year. We only ever pick the leaves, never the roots. Epimedium is always there. Nobody applies any chemicals to the wild plants, so it is clean and pure.”  

We parked at the base of the mountain, and set off for the summit.. With Sheng in the lead, we hiked off into dense forest, and up a rugged trail on the mountain’s steep western peak. The tropical sun beat down on us when we stepped out of the woods, and we were drenched in sweat as we made our way up the mountain. “Most of the epimedium on the mountain has already been picked this year,” Sheng informed us. “But further up near the peak we will find plenty. The pickers don’t like to climb that high. ” Further up we came to a rock ouitcropping, where we saw our first clusters of epimedium growing in the wild. “The plant likes rocks,” Shen told us.  From that point on toward the peak we found numerous clusters of epimedium. The plant proved abundant at higher elevations, and I was happy to see it for myself in its natural habitat.  

In the United States, horny goat weed has become a phenomeon. But does it work? The distinguished botanist Dr. James Duke has long insisted so. And science is backing that claim, With a human clinical study supervised by New York physician Dr. Steven Lamm and Gerald Secor Cousins. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of an herbal complex product in which horny goat weed was the primary ingredient. The formula was tested for it effects on  sexual satisfaction in healthy male volunteers and male volunteers who use Viagra.

In the study, 25 healthy men and 13 men who used Viagra received daily doses for 45 days of the horny goat weed-based  herbal formula.  Additional doses were taken one to two hours prior to sexual activity to determine its effect on sexual interest, sexual performance, and overall sexual satisfaction. After 45 days, the double-blind phase of the study began with a placebo product and active product randomly given to healthy men who had reported a positive response in the first phase. All subjects were evaluated after the first 45 days of treatment and finally after 60 days.Results of the study showed thatdaily use of the herbal complex for a minimum of 45 days resulted in an enhancement of sexual satisfaction in 60 percent of healthy male subjects and 45 percent of men using Viagra. 

Does horny goat weed work? Considering a long history of positive use, and the study noted above, we can probably say yes. More studies should be conducted to support these conclusions.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com

The Amazon rainforest, the largest rainforest on earth, is richer in plant life than any other place in the world. Targeted by pharmaceutical companies for over a century as a land of exploration for source materials of new drugs, the Amazon rainforest is also a treasure trove of botanicals for the herbal supplement industry. Among the many Amazon botanicals which have come to light in recent years, Una de Gato (Uncariatomentosa ), which means “cat’s claw” in Spanish, is one of the most promising of all. A woody vine, the plant earns its name cat’s claw due to a preponderance of sharp, claw-like thorns. Dispersed throughout Central and South America, Una de Gato has been used for centuries by numerous native tribes.

Una de Gato is described by Dr. James Duke in his Amazonian Ethnobotanical Dictionary as a plant used widely in Peru for anti-inflammatory, contraceptive and cytostatic (retards tumor cells) purposes. In popular literature, Una de gato is additionally touted as an immune stimulant, and a large number of studies do in fact show that Una de Gato offers significant anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing benefits, and that constituents in the vine may help to inhibit tumor cell formation.

Una de Gatohas been known for a long time due to the explorations of Voctorian era explorers. But the plant gained the attention of the European scientific community in the early 1970’s when Austrian Klaus Keplinger heard of a remarkable cancer cure attributed to the use of the plant. Keplinger spent time in the Peruvian Chanchamayo region of the Amazon, and familiarized himself enough with the plant that he became one of the most important scientific authors on its uses. Since that time, researchers have plumbed Una de Gato’s chemical secrets, in search of what might account for its purported healing benefits. Analysis shows that Una de Gato contains at least five alkaloids, and two other important groups of compounds, quinovic acid glycosides and triterpenoidsaponins. In addition, the plant contains antioxidant polyphenols.
Studies conducted in vitro with Una de Gato show that constituents in the plant possess anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, antiviral and immune-stimulating properties. The alkaloids in Una de Gato demonstrate immune-enhancing activity by producing an increase in phagocytosis, a process by which potentially harmful materials are “eaten” by protective cells.  In studies of quinovic acid glycosides in the plant, researchers observed significant anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, these same compounds were shown to inhibit several types of common viruses. In studying triterpenoidsaponins, scientists observed that these chemical agents inhibited the growth of some tumor cells.

Good science provides assurance of herbal efficacy to today’s modern, medically-oriented market. Well-conducted scientific studies appear to validate several of the traditional uses of Una de Gato. The plant appears to be safe and non-toxic, and is useful in cases of inflammation, compromised immunity, and viral infection. It is a significant aid to relief in cases of both osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. With further research, the plant may eventually play a broader role in a complementary approach to the prevention and treatment of certain types of cancer. Tribal people in the Amazon would no doubt be amused by scientific inquiries into Una de Gato. After all, they’ve known for centuries that the woody vine with the sharp, claw-like thorns is a healer.

Looking for Una de Gato products – I have become acquainted with various Una de Gato products, and recommend two if you are going to use this medicinal plant. One is Saventaro, a product made in Austria from Una de Gato harvested in Peru. Saventaro is an encapsulated product, available in natural food stores.  Raintree Nutrition, on the other hand, offers a fluid extract of Una de Gato, also from the Amazon rainforest. This fast-acting fluid has a woody taste and is available from Rain-tree.com.

Pick of the week:  I have previously written about ginger, and this widely used plant will crop up repeatedly, due to its broad uses. In any case, not everybody is willing to shred or grate their own ginger. With that in mind, a company called Ginger People makes a Minced Ginger in a jar. You just scoop a spoon full of this finely ground fresh ginger into whatever you’re cooking, and you can easily and quickly derive the benefits of ginger.The zippy taste, combined with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, make this herb a healthy powerhouse. I’d still recommend grating your own, but convenience is king these days, and this minced ginger product delivers that. Thanks to innovation, many herbs that used to be time-consuming to prepare are now ready to use in bottles and jars. It’s a whole new world of herbalism.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com

The world is alive with germs of all kinds, especially bacteria and viruses. Most of the time our bodies do an excellent job of fending off these microbes. This self-defense is due to the immune system, which notices any pathogen (disease-causing agent), and attacks it with immune foot soldiers including macrophages, lymphocytes and phagocytes. But sometimes our bodies can’t fight off disease-causing agents without help.

This is when certain herbs can come in handy.

Working Two Ways

Herbs can help to fight germs in two ways. On the one hand, herbs can bolster the immune system so that our bodies can respond more powerfully to germs when they attempt an invasion. On the other hand, some herbs can even kill germs outright. Let’s examine a few common germ-fighters in the herbal world.

Ginger

This common root contains two classes of compounds known as gingerols and shaogals.  These are powerful antioxidants, so they help to prevent premature destruction of cells, a very handy function indeed. But these same agents also increase the proliferation of immune cells, thus providing more ammunition for the body to ward off disease. Ginger also contains a group of compounds called sesquiterpenes, which kills rhinoviruses, the agents that cause colds. So when you have a cold, several bracing cups of fresh ginger root tea can help you to reduce the severity and duration of that unwanted event. Ginger tea also relieves a sore throat, providing immediate relief.

Green Tea

Many people know green tea simply as a pleasant, low-caffeine beverage. But green tea’s antioxidant compounds, called the polyphenolcatechins, also boost overall immune function.

One of the functions of these compounds is to inhibit tumor growth. Studies of human populations show decreased incidence of some types of cancer among green tea drinkers, and animal studies show specific immune activity against various types of tumor cells. This is not to say that green tea is a cancer cure. But drinking green tea daily can reduce your risk of cancer overall, by enhancing immune function. This same immune-enhancement helps to protect you from various pathogens in the air and in water and food.

Elderberry

In some small studies, elderberry has demonstrated anti-flu activity. This is due to a group of antioxidant flavonoids in elderberry thatbind to the influenza virus and prevent infection. Some researchers question the real efficacy of elderberry as a flu-fighter, but it does demonstrate some value. A recent study of elderberry extract and the (new scary) H1N1 virus showed that the antioxidant compounds in the berries inhibit the proliferation of that virus. While further work must be done on this, the study suggests that at least, elderberry may help to reduce the activity of this flu.

Garlic

Sometimes called the stinking rose, garlic has long occupied a special place in natural healing. This fragrant and pungent member of the allium family enhances overall cardiovascular health, fights various types of cancer cells well, and is a potent immune booster. But garlic goes beyond this, actually killing many of the types of bacteria that cause food poisoning. Heavy use of garlic is prevalent in places and cultures where food preparation hygiene may be poor, and where refrigeration is not always available. Adding fresh-pressed garlic into food, or cooking with garlic, may prevent sickness due to bacterial contamination. And if you have a cold, press a clove of garlic into a cup of hot water, add the juice of a lemon, mix in a teaspoon of honey, and drink it down. This shot to the immune system will help you to get rid of the cold faster.

Hot Peppers

Not everybody likes hot peppers, also known as chile peppers. But for chile lovers, these peppers not only pack a hot wallop, they provide immune support as well. You can use hot peppers fresh and raw, cooked, or as hot sauces. Like garlic, hot peppers enhance immune function, thereby making your body more resistant to disease. They do so thanks to the presence of capsaicin (think really hot), the oil that gives peppers their heat. This is also the same oil used in topical capsaicin arthritis creams. Like garlic, hot peppers also kill bacteria outright. In West Africa, people commonly make a paste consisting of finely ground hot peppers, ground coarse salt, and minced onions, which have a similar effect as garlic.  This paste is eaten in small amounts alongside food that might contain bacteria.

Herbal Pick of The Week

I derive absolutely no income or favors from the makers of Tabasco sauce, but I will say that this common and well-loved hot sauce is a regular part of my personal health regimen. Made only with tabasco variety hot peppers, this sauce shows up almost everywhere in the world. Not only does Tabasco contribute zip to foods, but it’s a great natural medicine to carry when you travel. You can definitely find hotter and more exotic sauces, but in my book Tabasco reigns supreme.

Hippocrates famously stated  “Let food be thy medicine.” In the herbs above, we have common foods that also play valuable germ-fighting roles in nature’s medicine chest.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide. His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com

The first time I ever tried acai (pron: ah-sah-yee) in 1997, the fruit was served to me as a thick drink by an Ipixuna Indian woman, when I was living on the Amazon river for a month.  Acai, Euterpe oleracea, was as deep purple as any food I had ever seen.  In fact, a spill stained a favorite t-shirt of mine forever.  I loved the rich flavor of acai, and the energy it imparted, and consumed as much as I could during the course of my time on the river. When I left Brazil that time, I lamented that I’d probably never be able to obtain acai back home.  Times have changed, and this delicious fruit is now widely available, from Whole Foods to up-market grocery stores.

A so-called “super-berry” that grows on palms trees in the Amazon, acai is a staple food throughout Amazonia, and that status owes directly to its marvelous flavor.  Acai explodes with flavor, and gets better with every mouthful. Rich in the potent purple pigments called anthocyanins, acai has a higher antioxidant activity rating than bilberries or blueberries, and is rich in beneficial dietary fibers.  A glass of blended acai fruit, with just a slight touch of energizing guarana and certified organic sugar, imparts so much energy, you’ll want to dance and yodel while climbing a mountain at the same time.  No wonder endurance cyclists and ball players have taken to this fruit. Surfers, skateboarders, X-gamers and outdoor enthusiasts speak of acai with reverence.

The berry craze is on full throttle now, and purveyors of each berry, from blueberries to blackberries, black currants and elderberries, have positioned their berry as the ultimate.  All of these berries are rich in the purple antioxidant pigments called anthocyanins, and all impart both antioxidant protection to cells, and anti-inflammatory activity as well.  As far as I am concerned, they are all extraordinary foods, and are valuable in any person’s diet. I just happen to favor acai most of all, because I love the flavor and the fact that the acai trade is helping to reduce deforestation in some parts of the Amazon. .

Forest Preservation – Fast-forward years later, once more in the Brazilian rainforest, this time in the company of Ryan Black, founder of Sambazon Acai.  We are watching several hard-working Brazilians climb tall acai palms rapidly, cut branches laden with ripe purple acai berries, and strip the berries into baskets, readying them for processing. “Our wildharvesting system was developed in conjunction with the Forest Sustainability Council,” Ryan explains. “We’ve taught people how to wildharvestacai, and protect the forest at the same time.” Through ecologically sound agro-forestry management practices, Sambazon has established a top-notch conservation program that protects the Amazon rainforest and minimizes habitat loss.  On top of that, they’ve implemented a fair wage system that provides higher than average wages to over ten thousand familiesin Brazil’s Amapa state. Sambazon has won praise and support from World Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy and Greenpeace. As far as Ryan is concerned, it’s all just a reasonable and fair way to operate a business. “Might as well do it right if you’re going to do it,” he comments.

Harvested from August through December in the hot, humid Amazon rainforest, acai is a high labor fruit. I watch the remarkable climbing skills of the harvesters, and realize with some sadness that I could never climb trees like that, let alone do it every day.

Traditional acai -We are invited into a large wooden house with open windows and about a dozen children crowding around us, to watch a woman prepare acai the traditional way. In this house, the preparation is all performed by hand.  The woman hand grinds the berries through fiber mats, until the juice and fine pulp drip into a container underneath. After laboring on our behalf for more than half an hour, she serves us acai. Several of us spoon the rich berry preparation into our mouths, and laugh at our good fortune until tears form in our eyes. “Now this is how to eat acai,” Ryan declares. Truth is, unless you make a pilgrimage to the Brazilian Amazon, your best acai bet will be freezer packs or smoothies found in natural food stores.

Acai diets – Just a quick word about the acai diets that everybody has been spammed over.  Useless.  Acai is not a diet miracle. It is a wonderful, amazing-tasting, highly beneficial fruit that gives you energy and makes you feel good. But don’t be bilked by companies that want you to believe it’s the key to slimming. It isn’t.

There’s really no need to try to make something more than it is. In the case of acai, this is a superior, nutrient-rich fruit with tremendous antioxidant value. It offers great flavor, and makes you feel good. The harvesting of acai provides a living to a lot of people, and helps to preserve some of the Amazon rainforest. In my mind, that’s more than enough.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com

As I have commented in previous columns, herbs are the most widely used medicines in the world.  That said, most people don’t know much about herbs, and those who want to learn about them wonder where to go for good information.

Herbal Roots

I recall my first encounter with a real herbalist in the summer of 1971. At an organic farm in the countryside of Natick, Mass.,  I chanced to arrive there just as a noted herbalist named Ben Charles Harris (author of  Eat The Weeds) was about to give an herb walk.  I had no idea what an herb walk might be, but I fell in line with a small group, and we  wandered  fields and woods as Harris described the healing benefits of common local plants I had seen my entire life. I was surprised and thrilled to discover an entire new world of knowledge. Add that to the fact that Harris was an entertaining, highly opinionated and very eccentric character, and I had a great experience.  After that remarkable afternoon, I began to purchase and read various books on herbs.

The Green Pharmacy

In my meanderings through herbal literature, I have read a great many titles.  But if I could only recommend one, it would be Dr. James Duke’s The Green Pharmacy.  Dr Duke was the USDA’s  head botanist for 30 years, and I will say that nobody knows more about medicinal plants than Duke. His folksy style and easy manner of presentation belie the fact that he is an absolute crackerjack scientist. When Duke makes a seemingly casual comment in his book, he is backed up by reams of studies and decades of hard-core scientific inquiry. For anybody who wants to dive into the deep green pool of herbal knowledge, there is simply no better title than The Green Pharmacy. And if you want to know what herbs to use for your own health needs, this is the definitive book.

Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases

For those scientists and health professionals who require greater scientific detail  in their herbal information, the same sage Duke has amassed the Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases.  This extraordinary online system enables the user (it’s free) to find out about compounds in herbs, their activity in the human body or in animal studies, and gives the study citations themselves. Anybody who wishes to go deeply into herbal science can spend several happy years poring through this vast system

HealthNotes Online

A clever guy named Skye Lininger, along with his talented staff, have put together HealthNotes Online. Google it, and you can quickly learn about which herbs to use for what health purpose, with references to scientific studies.  If you have no time to sit with a book, HealthNotes Online gives you the information you require, credibly and quickly. It’s being constantly updated.

American Botanical Council

For those who wish to stay abreast of the daily and weekly science on herbs that flows freely from hundreds of journals worldwide, there is no better organization to join than the American Botanical Council, based in Austin, Texas. Started by herbalist and forward thinker Mark Blumenthal, ABC may just be the very best source on planet Earth for herbal information. However deeply you want to go, American Botanical Council can take you there. Need to educate out-of-touch critics? Grab a stack of world-class studies from ABC. For health professionals who wish to emerge from the dark ages and enter the world of complementary medicine, a membership in ABC is de rigeur. Be there, or be square.

National Geographic is up to way more than searching for lost tribes and producing maps.  The august scientific and exploratory institution has turned out The National Geographic Desk Reference To Nature’s Medicine, by  Steven Foster and Rebecca Johnson. Clear, fascinating and chock-full of author Foster’s brilliant photographs, this book on plant medicines deserves an honored spot on every coffee table. Whatever your health needs, you’ll find answers in there. Or just flip through page after fascinating page and open up to a whole new world of knowledge.

Mark Plotkin’s Tales Of A Shaman’s Apprentice describes Plotkin’s time deep in the Amazon  rainforest with a canny and wizened native healer who imparted to him a vast body of knowledge about medicinal plants. The Harvard-educated Plotkin leads the reader into an extraordinary world of natural healing, and spins a terrific yarn in the process.  Your hair will stand on end through some of it, but Plotkin, keeps his head level. It’s a spellbinding  book.

Two of my own contributions to the literature on herbal exploration include Kava, Medicine Hunting in Paradise, and Tales from The Medicine Trail.  In the first title, I take readers through my early experiences delving into South Pacific island culture in the tiny nation of Vanuatu, hunting for kava, nature’s most effective plant for anxiety. I tell of my first encounters with natives in one of the few remaining unspoiled places on earth. In Tales From The Medicine Trail,  I detail my experiences, from the sublime to the thoroughly horrific, in India, the Amazon, the Peruvian Andes and the South Pacific. If you want to know what it’s like to investigate medicinal plants in foreign and remote places, these two books will take you there. I promise you some wild, entertaining scenes, as well as plenty of great information.

There are thousands of titles on herbal remedies. American Botanical Council has a tremendous number of excellent works for sale. So whatever your level of interest or knowledge, you can find what you seek. Be assured, there is plenty out there. The days of insufficent information or science on herbs are long, long gone. Happy reading!

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com

Guilty coffee drinkers, take heart. It’s time to clear the fog about this remarkable beverage, and to straighten out misconceptions. Coffee is just plain good for you, and here you will find ammunition for that argument.

The Coffee Tree

The plant from which coffee derives is the coffee tree, an evergreen covered with fragrant white flowers and coffee cherries at the same time. Inside the bright red skin of the coffee cherry is a pair of beans. The beans are what all of coffee is about. The simple coffee bean bears the bracing stimulant caffeine, and also yields a satisfying flavor and aroma.

Mighty Caffeine

Whatever contains caffeine will be consumed widely. Why do we love and crave caffeine? Because it makes us feel good, by stimulating valuable physical and mental functions.

A caffeine user’s guide

- Brewed coffee  (5 ounces)  80 – 175 milligrams
- Percolated coffee (5 ounces)  40 – 170 milligrams
- Instant coffee  (5 ounces)  45 – 70 milligrams
- Cappuccino (6 ounces)  60 – 120 milligrams
- Hot cocoa  (6 ounces)  2 – 8 milligrams
- Tea, brewed  (7 ounces)  60 milligrams
- Iced tea (12 ounces)  70 milligrams
- Coca Cola (12 ounces)  45.6 milligrams

Can You Consume Too Much?

Yes you can. Side effects of over-consumption include nervousness, insomnia, and tremors. Excessive caffeine consumption can produce overly rapid heartbeat, mental stress, gastric discomfort and anxiety. The human lethal dose of caffeine is equal to approximately 66 five-ounce cups of coffee. Some people do not tolerate caffeine. If caffeine makes you jittery, sweaty, sick or uncomfortable, then it isn’t your drug.

Coffee and Your Brain

Coffee’s greatest effects are exerted upon the brain and mind, for coffee is the great, bold awakener. As a caffeinated beverage, coffee stimulates the brain, facilitating cognitive function overall. Coffee stimulates the flow of blood in the brain, and invigorates the mind. It enhances alertness and motivation, facilitates thought formation and concentration, and decreases mental fatigue. Coffee rouses the mental faculties as surely as streaming sunshine and hilarious birdsong awaken the sleeping.

Within a daily dosage range of 300 milligrams of caffeine per day, coffee improves negative moods which occur in the morning upon waking, dispelling the sullen and gloomy clouds which fog the mind upon rising. Coffee, as the most flavorful and potent caffeine-bearing beverage of all, increases general happiness and feelings of pleasure, and increases positive mood overall. Coffee promotes an upbeat positive sense of self, and an overall feeling of well being.

Coffee drinking even appears to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s Disease. Coffee drinkers have between 3 to 6 times lower risk of developing Parkinson’s as compared with non-coffee drinkers.

Coffee – Take Heart

Research into the natural chemical properties of coffee shows that the daily brew is a potent protective antioxidant potion.Coffee is especially high in one group of antioxidants called flavonoids. These compounds exhibit protective power against cardiovascular disease by reducing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, thereby helping to protect against atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.

Coffee and Digestion

Coffee exerts well known effects upon the digestive system andstimulatesgastric secretion. For this reason a cup of coffee after lunch or dinner may be consumed to punctuate and help digest a meal. The morning cup of coffee not only awakens the body and mind, but stimulates bowel activity as well. A strong cup increases peristalsis, the wave-like motion of the intestines. This stimulates intestinal elimination. Many people rely on a morning coffee for thorough elimination. While coffee shouldn’t substitute for a good amount of fiber in a healthy diet, its contribution to proper intestinal elimination is beneficial.

Coffee not only offers welcome laxative activity, but also plays a role in preventing some digestive disorders. Drinking two to three cups of coffee daily can reduce the risk of developing gallstones by as much as 40 percent. Coffee consumption also shows a strong protective effect against cirrhosis of the liver. Daily intake of 3 to 4 cups of coffee can reduce thr risk of cirrhosis by as much as 80 percent. Even more impressively, coffee exhibits a protective effect against colon and rectal cancers, reducing the risk by as much as 24%. 

Coffee and Cancer

If you worry that drinking coffee is going to result in some form of cancer that will take you down, you can relax. For with regard to coffee and its association with other types of cancer, again the news is good news. Several major studies have failed to show any link between coffee consumption and prostate cancer, breast cancer or bladder cancer. Nor has any link been found between coffee consumption and fibrocystic breast disease. Coffee consumption is not known to increase the risk of any type of cancer.

What about coffee and bones? Caffeine has a negative effect on calcium metabolism. And one study has found that women who consume more than 817 milligrams of caffeine per day are at three times greater risk of hip fractures than women who consume no caffeine. But other studies show that moderate consumption of coffee is not associated with bone loss, increased risk of osteoporosis, or any higher rates of bone fractures.

Women have long felt concern over their consumption of coffee and its effects on fertility and pregnancy, and any possible increased risk of miscarriage or birth defects. Again the news appears to be good. Most studies do not show any link between coffeeand decreased or delayed fertility.

Athletes who eschew coffee may think again. A few studies have shown that caffeine enhances the body’s ability to utilize body fat for exercise, and increases the body’s ability to work out before fatigue. A cup of coffee before working out can do you good, enhancing both performance and endurance.

A simple pleasure – coffee provides a pleasant lift, and offers protective benefits to health. If you are going to drink coffee, do so happily, without guilt. After all, it’s good for you.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com 

What is this mysterious plant, whose pods yield fire, and whose use has spread like licking flames through the culinary world? The chile plant is any of five domesticated species of Capsicumpeppers. All chiles may have originated from a single source, which some experts believe lies in central Bolivia. The fruits of the chile plant concern us most. As a rule mature chiles are red, orange, or yellow. The shape of chiles varies greatly. And there can be tremendous varieties of heat among peppers of the very same species.  

The Blazing Capsaicinoids

The substances that make chiles hot, and provide pleasure to chileeaters, are a group of natural oleoresins called capsaicinoids.  These substances account for between 0.1 percent - 1 percent of the total composition of a chile pepper. Of these compounds the hottest is capsaicin. A single drop of pure capsaicin will burn a hole right through healthy tissue. The sensation of burning produced by the capsaicinoids is physiologically similar to the sensation of burning caused by heat or fire. Imagine the surprise of the very first person who ever bit into a hot chile pepper!

Scoville, Measurer of Fire

In 1912, Wilbur Scoville, a chemist working for the Parke Davis pharmaceutical company established a method for measuring the heat level chili peppers. As a result of all these tests, various varieties of chile peppers can be ranked according to their heat or “pungency” level. The following scale comes originally from Doctor Ben Villalon of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. He conducted this survey of chiles and their heat, and his findings have been reprinted and reproduced thousands of times. Those of us in the chile world remain in Doctor Villalon’s debt for clearly delineating the heat levels of various chiles.

        0 -100 Scoville Units – Bell/sweet pepper varieties.
        500 -1000 Scoville Units – Big Jim, Anaheim peppers.
        1,000 -1,500 Scoville Units – Ancho, Pasilla peppers.
        1,500 -2,500 Scoville Units – Sandia, Cascabel, Rocotillo peppers.
        2,500 -5,000 Scoville Units – Jalapeno & Mirasol peppers.
        5,000 -15,000 Scoville Units – Yellow Wax, Serrano peppers.
        15,000 -30,000 Scoville Units – de Arbol peppers.
        30,000 -50,000 Scoville Units – Piquin, Cayenne & Tabasco peppers.
        50,000 -100,000 Scoville Units – Chiltepin, Thai, Santaka peppers
        100,000 -300,000 Scoville Units – Scotch Bonnet & Habanero peppers.
        575,000 Scoville Units – Red Savina Habanero peppers.
        855,000 Scoville Units – Naga Jolokia peppers (Professional pepper. Do not eat this at home) .
        16,000,000 Scoville Units – Pure Capsaicin (Don’t even think about it.) 

Chiles and Health

From arthritis to asthma, colds to constipation, hemorrhoids to high blood pressure, lethargy to lumbago, and tonsillitis to toothache, chiles have played prominently in the formulas and practice of herbal medicine. Chiles have been made into decoctions, compresses, tinctures and ointments.

As researchers delve into chiles and their heat components the capsaicinoids, their studies show that many of the traditional folk uses of chiles as medicines can be understood by modern scientific means.

Take chiles to heart – Chiles perform a number of functions which enhance heart health. They reduce platelet aggregation, the process by which disk-shaped structures in the blood accumulate and clog vessels. Chiles are vasodilators. They open up blood vessels, thereby stimulating blood circulation and warming the body. Chiles help to reduce oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a primary risk factor in heart attack and stroke. Chiles also reduce triglycerides, stored fats in blood cells. All around, chiles are very good for cardiovascular health.

Burn calories! –Eating chiles actually helps you to burn calories, and shed pounds. Research conducted at Oxford Polytechnic Institute shows that eating chiles increases thermogenesis, the body’s caloric burn rate. If you eat chiles or chile sauce with a meal, your body will burn calories at an increased rate of about 25%. This translates into maybe 45 calories more burned per 700 calorie meal. That’s pretty good.

Cancer prevention – Capsaicin in chiles fights cancer by preventing carcinogens from binding to DNA. This does not mean that chiles are a cancer treatment, but it does mean that eating chiles can help to reduce the risk of certain typers of cancer. As part of your dietary intake on a regular basis, chiles provide some measure of cancer protection.

Headache? – Chiles provide relief for some types of headaches, especially painful cluster headaches.  It may be that in the instance of cluster headaches, consumption of chiles wears out the mechanism by which pain is transmitted. Some people take cayenne capsules for relief. These are found at health food stores under several brands. But you can also pour some hot sauce on food, or eat a chili-laden soup.

General pain – Hot chiles provide pretty good relief for pain. Chiles contain pain-alleviating salicylates. Aspirin itself is a salicylate-based drug, acetyl-salicylic acid. Remember, when you eat chiles, you also get a pleasant endorphin buzz going, which also helps to reduce pain. Instead of reaching for the Tylenol, try a habanero instead.

Open that stuffy nose – If you have a cold or allergy accompanied by clogged sinuses, there’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of soup just loaded with fiery hot sauce to blast open your airways. Your nose will run like a river for a while, but then you’ll be able to breathe.

Sluggish digestion, constipation – Chiles get your digestive juices going. So if your digestion is slow or weak, a good dash of hot sauce in your food will prove useful. If your bowels are clogged and you wish otherwise, sprinkle chile flakes (crushed red pepper), seeds and all, on your food. The chile will act like a blasting cap, helping to eliminate backed up waste. It may burn a bit, but you’ll have a good bowel movement.

Live forever- In your longevity plan, factor is a steady flow of hot chile peppers, and you’ll gain a host of powerful benefits.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter, and researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. Chris teaches ethnobotany at U Mass Amherst where he is Explorer In Residence. He advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies , and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide. His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Visit  his web site at www.MedicineHunter.com

A full 80 percent of the world’s population employs herbs as their primary medicines. And while drugstore shelves in the US are stocked mostly with synthetic remedies, in other parts of the world the situation is quite different.  In Germany, pharmacies dispense herbs prescribed by physicians.

Plants (aka Herbs)

The term “herbs” refers to plants or parts of them, including grasses, flowers, berries, seeds, leaves, nuts, stems, stalks and roots, which are used for their therapeutic and health-enhancing properties. Generations of skilled herbal practitioners, researchers and scholars have refined and tested the vast science of herbology, producing thousands of plant-based remedies that are safe and effective. The proper and judicious use of herbs is often successful in the treatment of illness when other, more conventional medicines and methods fail. Herbs can be used to cleanse the bowels, open congested sinuses, help mend broken bones, stimulate the brain, increase libido, ease pain, aid digestion, and a thousand other purposes. Topically, herbs can repair damaged skin, soothe a wound, improve complexion, heal bruises and relieve aching muscles. Herbs demonstrate great versatility for the treatment of a broad variety of health needs.

For over 5 billion people worldwide, natural plant-based remedies are used for both acute and chronic health problems, from treating common colds to controlling blood pressure and cholesterol. Not so long ago, this was true in the US as well. As late as the early 1950’s, many of the larger pharmaceutical companies still offered a broad variety of plant-based drugs in tablet, liquid and ointment forms.

Plants are the original source materials for as much as 40 percent of the pharmaceuticals in use in the United States today. This is to say that either the drugs currently contain plant-derived materials, or synthesized materials from agents originally derived from plants. Some medicines, such as the cancer drug Taxol (from Taxusbrevifolia) and the anti-malarial quinine from Cinchona pubescens and are manufactured from plants. Other medicinal agents such as pseudoephedrine originally derived from ephedra species, and menthol and methylsalicylate, originally derived from frommentha species and wintergreen (gaultheria procumbens) respectively, are now synthesized.

Herbal Use 60,000 Years Ago

Neanderthals lived from about 200,000 years ago until roughly 30,000 years ago in Europe and western Asia. They coexisted with modern humans for most of the period but then mysteriously vanished. Physical evidence of use of herbal remedies goes back some 60,000 years to a burial site at Shanidar Cave, Iraq, in which a Neanderthal man was uncovered in 1960. He had been buried with eight species of plants, seven of which are still used for medicinal purposes today.

The Ice Man’s Medicine

On September 19, 1991, one of the most extraordinary discoveries of our century took place in Austria’s Otzal Alps, when two hikers discovered an ice mummy preserved by freezing. The analysis of samples of organic tissues has determined that the Iceman lived between 3350 and 3100 B.C.

The Ice Man died approximately 5200 years ago. At death he was between 40 and 50 years old and suffered from a number of medical conditions. He turned into a mummy accidentally almost immediately by the freezing weather conditions that turned him into the Ice Man. The Ice Man’s possessions have given scientists a better look at what life was during the Neolithic Age in Europe. Perhaps the most valuable possession, according to many scientists, was his “medicine kit,” two walnut-sized lumps of a birch fungus used as a laxative and as a natural antibiotic.

Plant Medicines, Safe and Time-Tested

Plant medicines are generally safe, gentle and effective for human health needs. This is so because human beings have co-evolved with plants over the past few million years. We eat plants, drink their juices, ferment and distill libations from them, and consume them in a thousand forms. Ingredients in plants, from carbohydrates, fats and protein to vitamins and minerals, are part of our body composition and chemistry.  Unlike synthetic molecules, the compounds in plants are familiar to our bodies, and we can metabolize them.

Plants and Humans Share Similarities

Some compounds perform the same functions in plants and in the body. Natural antioxidant phenols in plants, for example, protect plant cells from oxidation, and often perform the same function in the human body. Our bodies know the substances that occur in plants, and possess sophisticated mechanisms for metabolizing plant materials.
The regular and judicious use of herbs to protect and promote health and as medicines to help treat common ailments is an enlightened approach to personal well-being.

Plants Can Be Dangerous Too

Plants can also pose a danger to human health. Drink a tea made from oleander leaves or chew a mouthful of foxglove and you’ll be dead in a hurry.  On the other hand, if you use any of the thousands of healthful herbs that have been utilized as traditional medicines over the past few millennia, in dosage ranges that have been determined by centuries of trial and error, you are most likely to benefit without any negative side effects. Plants are our friends, foods, and medicines.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter, and researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. Chris teaches ethnobotany at U Mass Amherst where he is Explorer In Residence. He advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies , and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide. His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Visit  his web site at www.MedicineHunter.com