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

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

A dash of spice might be all you need to jump start your health.  Numerous studies have confirmed that spices can help prevent certain cancers, lower blood pressure, control blood sugar and improve cardiovascular health.  In addition, spices have been shown to minimize the damage of aging and actually help you lose weight by saving hundreds of calories and adding flavor — enabling you to avoid adding heavy sauces, butter or other fats.

Cinnamon:

Health Boost:  Cinnamon helps to reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A study in the December 2003 Diabetes Care found that eating one to six grams of cinnamon daily significantly reduced blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Recent research indicates that cinnamon can have favorable effects on brain function. Participants in a study chewed cinnamon gum or smelled the sweet spice. Cognitive tests revealed that subjects who used cinnamon had better memory functions and could process information more quickly.

How to Use it: For a delicious and healthy dessert, sprinkle on top of an apple and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until it can be pierced with a fork. To get a boost of cinnamon throughout the day,  just sprinkle the good old stuff into your oatmeal, yogurt or baked goods.

Turmeric

Health Boost: Turmeric isn’t just known for its bright-yellow color and distinct flavor, but it’s also known for its many health benefits, such as its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Surprisingly, it’s the bright pigment of turmeric, which is called curcumin, that is said to be the primary pharmacological agent in turmeric. In numerous studies, curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effects have been shown to be comparable to over-the-counter medicines like Motrin.

How to use it: For a bold dip, you can’t resist, mix it into nonfat Greek yogurt, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the dip alongside raw carrots, celery and peppers. Rosemary Health Boost: Scientists from Iwate University in Japan and the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in California have found that the antioxidant carnosic acid found in rosemary, protects the brain from free radical damage. Oxidative damage, caused by excess free radicals is a major cause of neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. How to use it: For a delicious chicken rub, combine 2 teaspoons of rosemary leaves with 2 teaspoons of seasoning salt and 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves.

Garlic:

Health Boost: Since 1858, garlic has been known for its antibacterial properties. At this time Louis Pasteur discovered that bacterial cells died when they were saturated with garlic. Garlic has long been considered an herbal “wonder drug.” Garlic has 1 percent of the potency of penicillin.

How to use it: Sauté fresh garlic over low heat and mix spinach, and Parmesan cheese and place atop whole-wheat pasta.

Paprika:

Health Boost: One reason to spice up your meals: You’ll crank up your metabolism. Capsaicin, the substance that gives kick to peppers and chilies, has a thermogenic effect, meaning it causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat them.

How to use it:  Add a teaspoon of paprika to store-bought hummus or prepare your own guacamole using an avocado, ½ diced onion, ½ diced tomato, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon onion powder and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.

Ginger:

Health Boost: You’ve all heard that ginger can help soothe your stomach, but did you know it can help heal a migraine also? Denmark researchers have discovered that ginger can block the effects of prostaglandins. These are substances that cause inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain, which leads to migraines. Research suggests that ginger can help relieve migraine headaches by blocking the production of natural substances that cause inflammation and pain.

How to use it: Make your own ginger dressing by combining 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon minced ginger (optional), ½ teaspoon pepper and 2 scallions.

Oregano:

Health Boost:  A USDA study found that gram-for-gram, oregano has the highest antioxidant activity of 27 fresh culinary herbs. Oregano is also a potent antioxidant, rich in phytonutrients. On a per-gram basis, fresh oregano has 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges, 4 times more than blueberries. Antioxidants are known to reduce risk factors for heart disease and various types of cancers.

How to use it:  To spice up grilled cheese, add ¼ teaspoon oregano leaves and tomato to the classic favorite.

Thyme:

Health Boost:  Thyme is one of the most well-known remedies for treating teeth and fighting the gum disease gingivitis. The active ingredient in this common herb is thymol which can be found in Listerine mouthwash because of its antibacterial and antifungal properties.

How to use it: Use thyme in scrambled eggs for a fragrant flavor boost. It can be used to improve the flavor of most dishes, especially slow-cooked dishes.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of www.Skinnyandthecity.com. She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being. For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Yes, I know you probably know all about alcohol, pot, cocaine and heroin. But in this rapidly-advancing world of technology we live in, teenagers are getting more creative finding new ways to get high and putting themselves – as well those around them – in danger while they’re at it.

We still have drug dealers walking the streets and preying on the impressionable minds of our youth with their rhetoric. But in 2008, those drug dealers are coming right into your home with the promise to teens that their next high is just a click away. And worst of all: it’s perfectly legal.

If you don’t believe me, I encourage you to make yourself a cup of tea, sit down at your home computer, and search a topic like “Driving on Salvia” on Youtube. What you see WILL surprise you.

Now, many of you may be wondering what salvia is. Well, known as salvia divinorum, this leafy “houseplant” is a highly potent relative of sage and mint plants. But unlike its spicy cousins, salvia leaves are sold as a legal alternative to marijuana because of the intense psychedelic effects people get from smoking it.

In fact, according to one federal survey, almost 2 million people have admitted to using it to get high in this country alone, and 3 percent of men aged 18-25 said they’d used it in the past year. The problem is that salvia has an unpredictable effect on many young brains – and those effects could be devastating.

Another drug that’s recently made headlines because if it’s popularity among teens and young adults on the Internet is a pill called “SNURF.” This highly popular pill has been touted by Web distributors as a form of “herbal ecstacy,” because it contains mostly DXM, or dextromethorphan, a chemical found in cough medicine. But because “SNURF” pills have 10 to 15 times more DXM than cough medicine, they can have dangerous euphoric and even hallucinogenic effects on users.

So, what’s the answer?

Get better informed! Search the Web more frequently. Talk to your children.

And, as it turns out, if you see your houseplants disappearing, you may have a problem!

A man faces up to 20 years in jail for selling chocolate laced with Viagra through the mail as a food supplement.  The French news agency AFP says Tibor Liska pleaded guilty to selling some 12,000 packets a month of sildenafil, which is sold under the brand name Viagra, mixed with chocolate and herbs.  

The “food supplements” were sold under the name “Boom” between March 2006 and November 2007 in the United States, Australia, Colombia, Switzerland, Russia, Argentina, Japan and Slovakia. The supplements were billed as being plant-based and didn’t mention that they contained Viagra.

What do you think?  Leave your comments below.