Menopause remedies often miss some of the most important underlying causes for menopausal disorders. One of the most commonly overlooked factors is the health of your digestive system and the role of its friendly bacteria for hormone balance.
Gut Bacteria and Estrogen Dominance
A common scenario occurs when you use prescription drugs, especially antibiotics and antacids, and/or have a poor diet. The initial effect is the destruction of your friendly gut bacteria, whose many roles include aiding digestion, strengthening the immune system, and enhancing the excretion of steroid hormones.
Hormone excretion becomes important when, for example, estrogen has done its work as a chemical messenger and is ready to be deactivated. How is that related to digestion? An indirect indication for this link appeared in a recently released study at the Imperial College of London. This study confirmed that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is likely caused by a gut bacterial imbalance. The importance of this result is that it points to the role of your friendly bacteria in liver health.
Now think about the role of the liver in deactivating hormones. The liver is the main detoxifying organ, and one of its roles is to detoxify hormones so they can be excreted from your body. Now we know that your liver depends on a healthy population of friendly gut bacteria. It can do a better job in detoxifying and excreting hormones when the gut bacteria are healthy. If your liver isn’t functioning properly because your gut bacteria are damaged, unexcreted estrogen can then circulate back into your bloodstream and promote estrogen dominance.
Estrogen dominance is now known as the cause of many health problems for women as well as for men. It is, therefore, an important hormone for keeping in balance with other steroid hormones.
Probiotics and Hormone Balance
Probiotics are dietary bacteria that promote the health of your friendly gut bacteria. The significance of probiotics as one of nature’s menopause remedies is that this type of dietary supplement helps in maintaining hormone balance by enhancing liver health. The role of probiotics in achieving hormone balance, however, is often overlooked.
Research on probiotics shows them to be helpful with at least 100 different health disorders. The keys to getting the best results with probiotic supplements include: 1) the number and variety of bacterial strains in one dose; and, 2) the number of colony forming units (CFU) per dose (equivalent to number of live cells). When you are evaluating products using these two criteria, look for those that have at least 10-15 different strains and at least 15 billion CFU per dose. The best brand that I have found in my research, which fits these criteria, is the iFlora Multi-Probiotic Formula by SedonaLabs.
All the best in natural health,
Dr. D
When I was researching information for my post on the flu cure, I gathered more examples for my hot list of botanical research for antiviral activity. I mentioned that antiviral research has yielded some excellent herbs for everything from flu to HIV, herpes, and the common cold. Just thought I’d point out what this kind of research looks like, in a post on my shingles blog: Great new antiviral herb: Chilean soapbark tree.
This is what good research looks like. And this is the kind of study that will eventually help us a lot more than drugs will, in the face of whatever disease outbreaks pop up on our increasingly overpopulated planet.
All the best in natural health,
Dr. D
MRSA Staph Infections On the Rise
One of the super-bugs, the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have arisen through the overuse of antibiotics, is on the loose. This one is called MRSA, which stands for “methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.”
MRSA staph infections first arose in hospitals in the 1960s. This photo shows one such infection in a surgical wound, 2 years after the initial surgery. MRSA like this is now in the news because of its escape from hospitals and other healthcare institutions, into the community at large. Life-ruining and even fatal infections are increasing among otherwise healthy people, from high school and professional athletes, to housewives, children, and employees. The first time I heard of this super-bug was in an article in Sports Illustrated about the spread of infections among young athletes. The saddening stories in this article included one about a high school football player who contracted a seemingly minor skin infection and died within 7 days from the spread of MRSA.
Numerous articles are appearing in the news about this deadly bacterium. One of the best and most comprehensive descriptions that I have found of the medical details and symptoms of MRSA staph infections is by Dr. Mark Christensen: MRSA Staph Infections: Coming to a Workplace Near You. What is missing from this and virtually all other articles on MRSA is sound advice on natural solutions to this growing problem. I offer some below. What brings me to writing this article, however, is that modern medicine is launching an all-out blitz against MRSA, which is surely going to make matters worse.
New Research, Same Old Stupid Science
An article in our local newspaper on March 4, 2009, trumpets a brand new study in the search for a solution to MRSA. This study will cost $9 million in grants from government agencies, will take 5 years, and will involve about 3,000 patients. The core of this study will be to resurrect older antibiotics in hopes that something will work.
Keep in mind that methicillin resistance arose because of the over-use of methicillin. The current treatment of choice for MRSA is an antibiotic by the name of vanomycin. Hospital treatment entails using high levels of vanomycin intravenously for several days. It should be no surprise at all that, as of 1996, a new form of staph infection has started to appear in hospitals, first in Japan and now in the U.S. It is called VRSA.
Staphylococcus aureus is a wiley pathogen. Pathogenic bacteria typically are. Very few life-killing toxins will keep them down for long. It is only a matter of time before the latest mega-project to eradicate staph infections will enable the appearance of newer, even more resistant and increasingly deadly forms of this bacterium. This is stupid. Indeed, it fits the classic definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different outcome.
Antibiotic Herbs to the Rescue
All plants produce antibiotics. They have to, because they are sitting ducks for infection without them. Modern medicine has failed to capitalize on this cornucopia because they are not sources of patentable drugs. Nevertheless, almost every herb that has ever been tested for antibiotic activity shows some. Certain herbs are more powerful than others.
The neat thing about natural antibiotics is that bacteria do not develop resistance to them in a mixture of at least three substances. Whole herb extracts, of course, typically contain dozens of substances that have some level of antibiotic activity. This is a general principle that applies not only to microbes but also to insect pests and to malignant tumors.
If medical researchers spent a fraction of the time and money on evaluating antibiotic herbal preparations for treating MRSA staph infections, we would have a much better chance of controlling this growing problem. In fact, the top 5 antibiotic herbs, basedon activity and availability, are already well known in recent botanical research, so the stage is set for finding multiple good, cost-effective solutions. I’ve provided more details about these herbs below. Keep in mind that this is a short list taken from hundreds of herbs that are known to have antibiotic activity.
1. Creosote Bush: Larrea tridentata
The creosote bush (also known as chaparral tea) produces dozens of flavonoid-type natural products and secretes them into a resin on the surfaces of the leaves and stems. Antimicrobial activities are the foundation for numerous folk medicaly uses by Native Americans, including treatmens for flu, cold sores, skin infections, sore throat, colds, and gonorrhea. Modern research shows the resin to be active against herpes and other viruses (especially HIV and herpes), as well as against bacteria and fungi. If you live in any of the deserts of the southwest U.S. or adjacent Mexico, you can collect your own material from this plant. Otherwise, the best preparation for topical use against bacterial infections is a penetrating spray by LarreaRx.
2. Honey
Although plants are the original source of honey, this is technically an herb/animal combo product because of the role of bees. Nevertheless, recent research published in the Journal of Wound Care (September 2007, vol. 16 no. 8, pp. 325-328) showed that, “Full healing was achieved in seven consecutive patients whose wounds were either infected or colonised with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antiseptics and antibiotics had previously failed to irradicate the clinical signs of infection.” Wow!
3. Garlic: Allium sativum
Here is the title of a recent article in the British Journal of Biomedical Science (2004, vol. 61 no. 2, pp. 71-74): “Antibacterial activity of a new, stable, aqueous extract of allicin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.” What this means that water was used to extract garlic, in such a way that it prevented the breakdown of the active ingredient (allicin). Don’t scientists use cool jargon? You can take advantage of this protocol by using a tea made tea from fresh garlic or by taping freshly ground garlic directly onto a wound. You just have to watch out for a rash that may be caused by the garlic itself.
4. Tea tree oil: Melaleuca alternifolia
This herb receives considerable attention for multiple antimicrobial uses. One report, in the Journal of Hospital Infections (April 2004, vol. 56 no. 4, pp. 283-286) compared tea tree oil with standard medical protocols. Tea tree treatment was more effective than chlorhexidine or silver sulfadiazine at clearing MRSA from superficial skin sites and skin lesions.
5. Grapefruit seed extract: Citrus paradisi
Grapefruit seed extract (GSE) has long been used in agriculture as a bactericide and fungicide, a mold inhibitor, an antiparasitic for animal feeds, a food preservative and antioxidant, and a water disinfectant. The wide variety of applications of GSE in human health have made this extract a popular supplement that is commonly available in nutrition stores. Regarding MRSA, one recent study in a journal called Burns (December 2004, vol. 30 no. 8, pp. 772-777) evaluated GSE as a potential component of dressings for preventing infections in burn patients. In this study the greatest anti-bacterial effects against MRSA came from a combination of GSE with geranium oil. This just shows how powerful mixtures of herbal products can be together.
All the best in natural health,
Dr. D
Flu Cure is a Legal Issue
I say this because the U.S. Foolish Drug Administration has a monopoly on defining diseases and the drugs for them. (That is why we have so many more diseases now than all of prior human history.) The FDA also does not allow the use of the word ‘cure’ for anything. Example: Saying that vitamin C is a cure for scurvy is illegal according to federal regulations, even though the truth of this statement has been known since at least 1936.
In light of this scenario, I am going to be careful and never claim the existence of a cure for anything. However, I will point to activities of certain natural products on viruses, in this case flu viruses.
Important Biological Principles for Treating Infections
As you already know, use of a single drug for any kind of microbial infection leads to the development of resistant forms of the offending microbe. What you may not know is that drug cocktails – mixtures of multiple drugs – do not have the same effect. As scary as it might seem, drug cocktails do better. This is not a common strategy for infectious diseases because the side effects from drug mixtures are too deadly.
Fortunately, this principle holds true for natural products, which is why whole herbs and extracts do not lead to the development of resistant microbes. Moreover, side effects of natural treatments are generally minimal or nonexistent.
A second principle that is supported by excellent research is the synergy among mixed natural products. Mixtures of flavonoids in particular have a boosted effect against flu viruses. This means that the antiviral activity of several flavonoids together is more powerful than any single compound.
The Abundance of Antiviral Herbs
Even a cursory check for the topic, “antiviral,” at CAM on PubMed comes up with 2,477 articles. “Antiviral” and “plants” shows 976 articles. Many of these are reports of antiviral activities of plant chemicals against human viruses. Indeed, 282 of them involve antiviral flavonoids from a wide variety of plants. Not too long ago, I did a comprehensive search for the best antiviral plants and came with a list of 6 outstanding candidates. A new research study at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine is underway to further explore the antiviral potential in several plants.
Larrea tridentata
The Top Antiviral Herb
Out of all of the research that I have done myself, and that I have found in the scientific literature, the top antiviral herb in my view is still the creosote bush, Larrea tridentata. This species produces an abundance of compounds that show activity against HIV, herpes (including shingles and cold sores), influenza, and other viruses.
Antiviral activities of extracts and compounds from Larrea have already led to a handful of patents, on some of which I am a co-holder (for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,837,252). And I have commented on its importance in my book, “Shingles Natural Treatment Guide,” at NaturalShinglesTreatment.com.
Yes, I am biased in favor of this plant as one of Mother Nature’s top herbal medicine chests. However, I am following in the footsteps of Native Americans who discovered dozens and dozens of uses for it in their herbal pharmacopeia. One of these uses was for treating stomach flu. If you live in any desert in the southwestern U.S., from Texas to California, you can collect this plant on your own. A more convenient form is currently available as a supplement under the name of LarreaRx.
Other Antiviral Herbs in the Scientific Literature
As I mentioned above, this is a long list. Almost every plant that has ever been evaluated for antiviral activity shows positive results. Some are even active against flu. The key, however, is to know which ones show the most potent anti-influenza action. To keep this post from being too long, I’ll just say that, besides Larrea, the best ones that I have found, based on published research, include the following: Baikal skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis), black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), garlic (Allium sativum), green tea (Thea sinensis), and American cranberry (Oxycoccus macrocarpus). If you find yourself in the predicament of looking for a good anti-influenza herb mix, this list would be a great start. And current research will certainly be expanding on these.
All the best in natural health,
Dr. D
