This year's HerbFest, hosted by Frontier Herbs in Norway, Iowa, brought
in a crowd of 1500 people. I was honored to be one of the scheduled speakers,
and was both surprised and pleased to hear my colleges speak out against
standardized extracts. Standardized liquid extract is a new-comer to the
herb market. It sounds very much like a safe bet, but is it really? What
part of the industry is behind the standardization, who stands to benefit
and who will suffer? These are all relevant questions to the issue. As a
consumer, is it more of a buyer beware market without them or with
them? Does standardization preclude quality control on the product as a
whole? Does one of the oldest forms of healing need to fall victim to ethno-cultural
bias of Euro-America?
What is a standardized liquid extract?
Most liquid herbal products come in the form of tinctures or extracts. I
have yet to find the definitive statement anywhere that separates the elements
of the two. To make matters worse, the herbal industry often uses the terms
interchangeable in some areas of the country. The best concise definition
I can give you is that a tincture uses alcohol, vinegar or glycerin, exclusively,
to draw the chemical properties out of the bulk herbs, where an extract
uses heat (with or without the benefit of the a for mentioned solvents).
A tincture could be considered an extract, but usually not the reverse.
The next question you should be asking is how much heat is used and for
what period of time? Most people don't however. Herbs like vegetables are
green things. What would your prefer to eat; raw, steamed or boiled vegetables?
What's going to give you the most nutrition? You can apply the same wisdom
to herbs that you do to cooking your own food. With the accept ion that,
bark, roots, and most dried fruits can be processed with low levels of heat
because of the nature of their dehydrated tissues. I asked the spokesperson
for PhytoPharmica, at a local presentation, how much heat was used in their
processing. His response was "as low as 98º". This temperature
may be well and good for the human body, but remember that 102º F boils
water. There really is a reason you have been steeping your tea and not
cooking it on the stove all these years.
Once a standardized extract has been made, it is run through one or more
forms of chemical identification which photographs the chromatic levels
of different chemicals. A standardized extract is one where the level of
one chemical, group of chemicals, or compound is guaranteed at a particular
level. What's the problem with this you ask? Isn't it consumer protection
and quality control? Not quite. What you are not being told is how pure
the herb is to start with. In other words, what levels of other compounds
(foreign and otherwise) are also included in this product. Standardization
does not insure that the Red Clover you purchased doesn't also carry a whole
lot of Timothy grass, Ragweed, or any other unwanted substances.
What chemicals are being standardized?
The industry was embarrassed by standardized extracts just recently. Once
standardized extracts became the market buzz
word and trump card of those producing them, the compounds everyone was
touting as the active ingredient turned out NOT to be the key to effectiveness
after all. Case in point is St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum).
Hypericin has been considered the marker compound and different companies
loudly proclaimed the levels in their products. When hypericin was found
not to be the active ingredient, but that St. John's Wort (SJW) extracts
worked just as well when all the hypericin was taken out, left a lot of
people with egg (or in this case, herb) on their faces. Another compound
is now believed to be responsible for relieving anxiety and depression.
This one is called hyperforin. No doubt we will see a new wave of labeling
that applauds this newly discovered constituent as the end for all.
The real point here is that for all of the thousands of years herbs have
been used in the healing of mankind, the dissection and chemical analysis
of botanicals is a new innovation. There are written treatise from Greeks,
Arabs, Indians and Chinese that are thousands of years old, stating the
healing properties of individual herbs and herbal combinations. At no time
did any group of people insist that only one aspect of the plant was what
was desired. There is good reason in this. The botanicals used were recognized
for their multifaceted attributes and often internal buffering. As the herb
appeared in Nature, it was delivered to the patient. A recent posting (8/12/99)
on the International Phytopharmacognosy Listing, hosted by Dr. Andy Brown
of Middlesex University, England, stated the following:
"I agree that the standardized SJW preparations can cause headaches,
also digestive distress. Clients come to me complaining that they have tried
SJW (extract) but they don't like the side effects. I give them a high quality
whole-plant extract (Usually tincture of the fresh flowers, but sometimes
a glycerite) which works and doesn't cause headache."
Donna Odierna, MS
Clinical Herbalist, Nutritionist, Health Educator
Dr. James Duke, well known author and herbalist, reminds us that our bodies
have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years eating naturally occurring
forms of phytochemicals (plants), which is why our bodies respond well to
botanicals. But that chemistry needs to be administered in those forms in
which it naturally occurs. Standardized extracts can manipulate the levels
of certain chemicals or compounds found in a plant. If the herb industry
is allowed to follow the next logical step from standardized extracts to
standardized isolated compound extracts, will that not be the same thing
as a pharmaceutical? In this case won't the product then leave the classification
of dietary supplement and fall into the category of drug? Does it then follow
that these preparations will not be sold over the counter but require a
doctor's prescription to purchase them?
One of the best things about herbal medicines, throughout the ages (with
the except of the European Inquisitions), is that is has be available and
affordable to all. During a time when monthly health insurance payments
runs the same as your mortgage, and your doctor is booked for the next two
weeks, useful dietary supplements are available at most health food stores.
Not that herbs and vitamins can cure all ills, but they are an accessible
starting place.
Who is supporting and coming out with standardized extracts?
You won't be surprised at this one. The larger pharmaceutical and dietary
supplement companies are leading the charge to the market. Small and independently
owned companies do not the have the financial means to explore this field
or purchase the equipment. The figures for over a decade now have shown
that Americans spend over $14 billion out of pocket every year for alternative
health services and products. It's not hard to imagine that they would like
a large piece of this pie. Since pharmaceutical companies don't prescribe
to, or understand the wholistic approach of herbal healing, they have simply
translated what they do know about isolated chemical compounds to botanical
and have created a new monster.
What will be lost with standardization?
I had the opportunity to serve as a member of a panel of professional herbalists
at HerbFest '99. Dr. Virendra Sodhi, and Peter Holmes, LAc, MH were also
participants. One of the questions we all fielded was whether or not we
supported standardized extracts. The unanimous decision of the panel was
no. We all had our own particular reasons for not promoting this form or
botanical product. The same held true for all others I had the opportunity
to discuss it with that weekend. No one liked the idea. Peter Holmes practices
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). He talked about the already formulated
and proven medicines in TCM. Many are readily purchased at Chinese grocery
and regular health food stores. The four thousand years in which TCM has
been practiced has proven the efficacy of this form of healing. Dr. Sodhi
gave us a lengthy narrative on the need for good quality control, to which
we all agreed. But in the end, he too did not see a need to change the traditional
forms of Ayurvedic therapy, which have been practiced for seven thousand
years, to that of standardized extract. When I had the opportunity to speak,
I addressed the issue of losing the variety of healing traditions in favor
of a new trend. Although I am trained in allopathic medicine, I also have
a strong background in the healing traditions of Indigenous America. The
last thing I want to see is the loss, yet again, of another aspect of our
culture. Too many times, in too many places in the world we have seen native
traditions put aside for more modern or western forms. The loss of these
intrinsic cultural expressions is usually not noticed until the newer replacement
is found wanting in many facets. By this time, the original indigenous form
is either lost or greatly diminished. Herbal medicine has been a great cultural
hold out during this past century and a half. The conventional allopathic
medicine and pharmacology you take for granted as the norms, are actually
the new kids on the block. It wasn't until the advent of the AMA, sterile
surgical procedures and pharmaceuticals, in the later half of the 1800's,
that modern medicine, as we know it, was even practiced. Within the
traditions of herbal medicine, many cultures have been able to express themselves
and share their wisdom. Although different in approach and therapy, TCM,
Ayurvedic, and other indigenous healing arts concur on the need to treat
the patient as a whole and respect the diverse ways in which this may be
accomplished. Within these varied traditions, the cultures stay alive.
The unspoken reason that has many companies producing standardized extracts
is it makes their products appear scientific, like pharmaceuticals. It makes
them a psuedo-pharmaceutical. New is better. Or is it? There are certainly
aspects of the scientific method that can be applied to the herbal industry,
but not at the risk of losing sight of the original art in the new technique.
I find it unwise, for many reasons, to allow a relatively new technology
to call the shots for everyone. In doing so, we are forsaking time tested
traditions for an ethnocentric policy. When we meet as herbalists and healers
now a days, we rarely speak of lunar phases for concocting tinctures, or
what prayers and songs are used for different plants. Instead, we talk of
molecular makeup, gas chromatigraphs, and the like. This is not finding
a new language to have in common, this is a form of quiet, cultural genocide.
To be granted permission to practice a healing art in this country, you
have to receive the approval of a very small and very new group of practitioners,
meeting their authorized body of criteria. The standards and rigors of which
one must pass to be considered a physician is, without a doubt, culturally
biased. Most of the enduring, indigenous healing practices of the world
are literally ignored. Unless blessed by those simple letters, which indicates
elite membership and compliance to an set of rules, you cannot practice
in the healing profession.
Would not a better scenario be to; given general restrictions, ethics and
the promise to "above all, do no harm;" allow for the diverse
traditions of healing? This would support a wider world view and greater
possibilities for recovery and health. America, for all it's attempt to
be the first and best at everything worldwide, has very ethnocentric policies.
In South Africa, whose racist apartheid has, for years, kept black Africans
form moving from town to town and country to city, allows the diagnosis
of indigenous healers to be considered the equivalent of a doctor's excuse
for employers. A written diagnosis from a Witch Doctor is considered a valid
excuse for missed work, the same as any allopathic physician. I'm waiting
for the day when we can tell our supervisors, "My Acupuncturist told
me to stay off if it for a few days." Or say, "the pills from
my TCM practitioner is covered by my insurance now." "My Pejutawin
says I should go to the Women's Moon Lodge for the next four day."
This, of course, would be covered by time off.
Quality control, the real issue.
Although most companies would like you to think the fancy labeling that
tells you at what level, this year's golden child of botanical compounds
is guaranteed at, is all you need to know about what you are ingesting,
it's not. The real issue that must be and is being addressed by the herbal
industry is that of quality control of plant materials. A couple of years
ago a serious scare went through the herbal community. A shipment into the
country of plant matter, identified as plantain (Plantago major) was actually
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). In pharmaceuticals, its derivative is known
as Digoxin, a very strong and potent cardio medicine. It can cause or cure
a heart attack. Luckily the problem was caught early and contained, but
it brought up the concern of quality control of raw botanical materials
as they are coming into production. Even with the best intentions and impeccable
sources of plant materials, you can still receive batches of herbs that
have foreign substance in them. It is nothing for me to go through a pound
of red clover and pick out handfuls of grasses and other plant elements
as I am processing a tincture or an ointment. My company is small enough
that I have the luxury to inspect every product as it is being prepared.
A section of the classes I teach in herbology includes field identification,
so I am qualified and able to recognize any foreign vegetation in my herbs.
That's not the case with all botanical production companies. When a 100
gallon vat is being loaded with herbs for processing, it would take many
extra hours of intensive labor to sort through every pound of herb. Most
companies rely on the reputations of their suppliers for accurate labeling
and clean materials. Some companies have their own farms, to raise and harvest
their own crops, insuring quality. It is safe to say that there are as many
ethical and safe dietary supplement companies out there as there are unethical
ones that are only in it for the money.
Quality control is a very valid area of concern for consumers. If you have
questions, contact the company. If you are not satisfied, there are plenty
of other botanical companies out there to chose from. One thing we are not
lacking in this country is a deficit of items on the market. The bottom
line; ask questions and only use the companies you know to have have good
reputations.
New is not always better.
Remember Twinkies in the 50's and 60's? Remember how the cream filling was
really cream? Bought one lately? The inedible plastic goo passing as cream
filling is not only tasteless, but just plain unnatural. Sometimes the old
tried and true are our best bets. There is a reason these things are still
with us; they work. By no means do I wish to suggest that there is no value
in the scientific method or that allopathic physicians or pharmaceuticals
do not have a place in the world healing arts. What I hope to do is reaffirm
that the indigenous traditions of the world still carry wisdom, and that
the strongest circle is one that includes us all.
What to standardize?
Taken from the 9/15/99 posting of the International Phytopharmacognosy group:
"What is the best marker compound for standardizing Crataegus oxyacantha?
I understand that some extracts favor OPCs but if one were to standardize
to flavonoids which marker compound is best? Is it hyperoside, vitexin-2'-rhamnoside
or vitexin-4' rhamnoside?"
So even with standardization already hitting the market, the marker compounds
that should be standardized are still very much under debate. No one has
the answers just yet.
As a child, I grew up in a family which included a natural and spiritual
healer. Not being well to do, I also grew up with the motto: Fix it up
,wear it out, make it do, or do without. Homemade was the rule of thumb,
and going to the doctor was quite often a luxury that wasn't affordable.
Thank goodness for the wise women of the family. Coming from this kind of
a background, you would think, as an adult, I would be riding the pendulum
in the other direction and living at the mall. Funny, but my grandmother's,
this is how we survived the depression in a family of 13, approach has
stuck with me. Consequently, I have not been swallowed up by Consumerism
like most Americans.
My point; when it comes to fast and affective herbal medicine, some of it's
in the kitchen cabinets or growing in your backyard , not in a bottle at
the store. You don't have to spend a fortune on designer labels and jars,
heat processed extracts, or undigestible pills. Some of what you need is
already in and around the house. Learn to use these gifts of Nature. You'll
be glad you did.
I speak at a number of herbal, Native American and various other conferences
during the year. One of the most frequent questions asked is, which herbal
capsules are the best. Not an easy question to answer, as I prefer liquid
formulas over pills and capsules. And, of course, capsules for what? Why
are you taking the herbs? The pill popping consciousness of Americans is
one most come by honestly. Aspirin was touted as the panacea for almost
everything for over 30 years, only recently being replaced by ibuprofen
and acetaminaphen. Allopathic physicians continue to support this illusion
by writing prescriptions for complaints that could be corrected by diet,
exercise and stress management. Why bother to change your life style when
you could just pop a pill? We are a nation with a quick shop mentality.
We want it fast and convenient, and we don't mind paying a little more to
get it that way.
The myth that only your doctor has the answer is fast wearing out. We have
seen too many mistakes made by modern medicine. Where our grandparents would
have been complacent at being long term victims to the medical profession,
our parents at least got a second opinion, and we are taking matters into
our own hands. If only we could take the best of the wisdom of the generations
and assert ourselves in our health management but lose the cyber-speed demands.
Some of the most common day to day physical complaints can be met by utilizing
the herbs (commonly referred to as weeds) in your yard and the spices in
your kitchen cabinets. You probably haven't recognized them because they
didn't come in capsule or pill form. These are medicines that have been
available in your daily life for years, but occurred in other forms. A lesson
from Hippocrates; "Let food be your medicines, and medicines be your
foods." Most doctors know this guy by his name and the oath they swear
by him, but few know the wisdom of his teachings.
Here are some simple descriptions and directions, so the change in format
of medical help doesn't stump you. If you involve a family member or friend
in your project, you will have even more fun hunting, gathering, processing
and enjoying the goodness of herbs.
Let's start out in the yard. You've
been cussing those dandelions for years now, trying to keep the yellow out
of your, otherwise, green lawn. Well, stop denouncing the poor things and
start eating.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) There are several species of dandelion,
but we will deal with the common one here. We all know this plant for the
composite yellow flower that dots most lawns and roadsides. All parts of
this plant can be used. The leaves when young and tender make a great addition
to salads and are full of vitamins and minerals. It is a great blood purifier
and also acts on the liver and digestive system to clean and restore them.
Dandelion can be used in cases of gout and food poisoning. The flowers can
be made into a wine that has the flavor of Fresca. The root stock has been
used in formulas for hypoglycemia and diabetes. If you want make field greens
salads over the winter, but don't want to pay the prices in
the stores or at restaurants, dig the root and above ground parts of some
dandelion and take it inside at the end of the summer to grow in a pot or
box, clipping it back and adding it to your salads.
You know those tall spindly stems with
the seed pods atop them that seem to be the only things that grows in your
yard during the heat of the summer? Those weeds that, if they didn't grow,
you wouldn't have to get out in the heat and cut the grass? Well, they too
are herbs and contain relief.
Plantain (Plantanginaceae)
Common or broad leaf plantain (Plantango major) and English plantain (plantango
lanceolata) or narrow leaf plantain are both usable. I prefer just the leaves,
but the whole plant can be utilized. Chewing the leaf or root stock will
give you temporary relief from tooth ache, and a paste or ointment can be
made out of the leaves to relieve the pain of burns, blisters, bee sting
and insect bite. As a tea, it will help with diarrhea, bladder problems
and ulcers. When on hikes, if blisters occur, you can just bruise a few
leaves or chew them slightly, then apply to the blister for quick relief.
Most people wouldn't recognize this
next plant if they were standing on it, but I can guarantee, it's growing
in your yard somewhere. Chickweed tends to like rocky, sandy or generally
dryer areas, like next to the house or in open yards.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) This lesser known plant is common in
most yards. It is, for the most part, a delicate looking plant with small
white flowers. The best way to recognize it is with the help of a good field
guide. There are several species of chickweed and most have the same properties,
but we are discussing common chickweed here. This plant is good as a fresh
green in salads, is known for correcting constipation and can be used in
a paste or in an ointment for skin eruptions. I use both Plantain and Chickweed
in my burn ointment.
Taxonamists call plants by their latin
names which are often foreign to our ears, but many plants are know in both
Native and European tongues for their characteristics or use.
Cleavers (Galium aparine) This plant was rightfully given the name
'Bedstraw', as it has been used throughout the ages as mattress stuffing.
It is recognized by it's ability to cling to itself and other things, which
is why it was used as filling. No amount of thrashing through the night
will unstick this stuff. When I take people on nature walks to identify
and learn the many different and useful plants, kids almost always refer
to Cleavers as Nature's velcro. The leaves, stems and flowers can be made
into tea for kidney and bladder obstructions. Externally it is used for
skin eruptions.
This next plant you probably won't
find growing in your yard unless you own land which doesn't always get cut
and has a creek or pond.
Jewel weed (impatients pallida)
There are two health issues synonymous with summer - sun burn and poison
ivy. Jewel weed or Touch-me-not, is the natural antidote for the contact
dermatitis that poison ivy causes. The stem has a watery gel-like substance
(not unlike aloe vera) that can be easily wiped or dabbed on the affected
area for an almost instant end to the itch. Your best bet is to get it fresh.
Remember that it likes damp areas, so look around the edge of creeks, ponds,
lakes and rivers for this delicate, shade loving plant. Watch out though,
it is often found growing next to the poison ivy you are trying to cure.
Wonder what's hiding in your spice
rack that you could have been using? You'd be surprised at the number of
affective medicines you thought were only used for their taste in cooking.
I often wonder how certain spices made their way in the culinary arts of
certain countries. Were they sought out for their taste, or did we get used
to the taste because of their affect on the body? Or their affect on food?
Perfect example; cayenne pepper.
Cayenne (capsicum anuum)
This is probably one of the most misunderstood and under-used herbs in the
kitchen. Although most doctors will tell you to avoid spicy foods for an
ulcer, studies have proven that ulcers can not only be cured by cayenne,
but also more quickly. Cayenne normalize circulation and therefore helps
lower or raise blood pressure as needed. Used topically in cuts and burns,
cayenne will keep out infection and stop the pain sensation by inhibiting
the firing of nerve synapses. Dusted into shoe and socks during the winter,
it will keep your feet warm and comfortable. Ever wonder why countries on
the Equator are always known for their hot and spicy foods? Cayenne will
not only help prevent infection in the body, but also slows the process
of spoiling and putrification in foods. Think about it, what wants to live
in cayenne pepper!
Here's a spice most people think about
in reference to holiday baking. There is current research being done on
the affects of ginger and the prevention and cure of cancer. Gingerbread
men, not just for Christmas any more!
Ginger (zingiber officinale)
Fresh, candied, ground, or even pickled (like with sushi), ginger is a tasty
cure for indigestion, gas and nausea. Powdered ginger in warm milk with
a little honey will ease a queasy stomach for adult and child alike. I usually
travel with candied ginger as a road remedy and also as a sweet snack (I
get it in Chinatown, Olive Rd. in U. City). Studies comparing ginger to
dramamine put the over-the-counter drug to shame. The ginger was much stronger.
You only need a piece or two. We use it in dry root form at Sun Dance to
allay the symptoms of fasting. Commonly used in potpourri and scented oils,
this aromatic bark has as much an affect in the body as it does on it.
Cinnamon (cinnamonum spp.)
What kitchen doesn't have cinnamon in it? It's useful for other things than
flavoring cookies and cakes. For chronic diarrhea, it can't be beat. Warm
a cup of milk and add approx. 1/4 tsp. of ground cinnamon (honey to taste)
for kids, or you can make a tea out of cinnamon bark and hot water. This
will also stop flatulence and indigestion.
What can I say about this often odorous
bulb that you haven't already heard? Probably not much, but here's a refresher
course for some of you.
Garlic (allium satvum) I'm not sure you can say too much about garlic.
Here's a few things it does. It has antibiotic properties, neutralized low
or high blood pressure, acts as an expectorant and antispasmodic. To get
the full effects of garlic, remember never to boil it. Baked bulbs are a
delicacy in Middle Eastern cooking and aren't usually too pungent when served
that way. Garlic can be used for ear aches and on cuts, but remember it
tends to be caustic, so use a small amount and watch out for the burn. Been
wondering about some of those seeds on the fancy breads you've been buying?
Well, here's the answer to one of them.
Fennel (foeniculum vulgare) This herb is a standard remedy that I
and my sister carry in our purses, suit cases and cars at all times. Although
most people are unfamiliar with the seed of this plant, it is one of the
best carminatives (relieves gas and indigestion) you can find. There are
no side effect like with some over-the-counter products, and it doesn't
contain aluminum like so many of them. (Did you know you can get aluminum
poisoning just like lead poisoning?) Chewing just a small handful of the
pleasant, anise tasting seeds will bring about relief in a few minutes.
So here's to those weeds and jars of spice; free or already paid for. My
new motto: For every illness on the Earth, Creator has given us a cure
in abundance.
Most people think cancer is a death sentence. For some it is, but there
are many people who co-exist with slow-growing cancers or who have eradicated
it totally from their bodies. I have spent the last seven years working
with cancer patients in an alternative health form as an herbalist. I'd
like to share with you some of what I know.
Attitude is the most important element in the fight against cancer or any
other disease. Whatever your religious/spiritual background, work with it,
or find something that works for you. Visualization, affirmations, prayer,
meditation (both moving and passive), support groups, etc., are all very
important to overcoming any disease. Make sure you don't feel alone in your
efforts and learn to accept the love and support of others.
Although surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are the standards of the allopathic
medical community, there are effective alternative therapies. The most successful
people to recover from cancer are ones who are not victims to their disease
or cure. They take an active part in their recovery. They ask questions
and don't stop until they are satisfied.
Herbal formulas, such as Essiac, have enjoyed some press over the past decade,
but by and large, are still unknown to most of the world. Essiac is the
most readily found herbal "anti-cancer" formula on the market
(bottled under different names), but it is not the only one. There are many
herbal formulas that have positive affects against cancer and many that
also help boost the immune system (important in the fight). But under current
FDA labeling laws, that information is not allowed to be printed on the
product. It's important that you contact knowledgeable alternative health
professionals to help you.
Effective herbal formulas will probably contain some of the following herbs:
astragalus, cat's claw, chaparral, echinacea, garlic, ginger, gotu kola,
lomatium, osha, parsley, pau d'arco, red clover, sheep sorrel, and/or suma.
Vitamins and minerals can also play a major part in the recovery from and
prevention of cancer. Antioxidants like Alpha Lipoic Acid, Co Q10, Selenium,
Vitamins A, C and E and others are essential in the diet. Chaparral, garlic,
kelp, red clover, and other herbs also have antioxidant effects, and can
be added to your regime. Oral chelation, which includes many of the previously
listed vitamins and herbs, helps remove toxins from your system and expedites
the recovery process.
A newcomer to the vitamin market is IP-6, which has been found to be effective
against liver cancer, and in general promote the immune system. Speaking
of livers, remember the liver vacation rule for all supplements: six on,
one off (six days on, one day off, six weeks on, one week off). These herbs
and vitamins can be used in conjunction with what your oncologist prescribes,
and will not inhibit the action of those therapies. Remember, chemotherapy
is a toxin. The goal of this procedure is to kill the cancer without, hopefully,
killing the host. The problem is that it often does kill the host or does
irreparable damage (to the immune system, liver, etc.)
Many people find juicing to be very helpful in combating cancer and other
diseases. Juicing is an easy way of getting straight nutrients into the
body with little or no bulk to digest. Often, after a course of chemotherapy,
people are unable to eat, and find themselves getting weaker and worse on
a daily basis. Juicing allows those much-needed nutrients to get into the
system in an easy-to-digest form.
There is no one easy cure for cancer, and it is important to keep up your
visits with your allopathic physician even if you are feeling better. The
tests your doctor can run will help inform you how much your alternative
therapies are affecting your recovery. No one person or group has all the
answers. Cancer, like any other disease, is an area where we all need to
work together for the benefit of everyone.
Simple Oral Chelation Therapy
There isn't a person who hasn't breathed polluted air, drank tap water,
eaten processed food, had dental work, taken pharmaceuticals, or lived on
this planet, that couldn't benefit from chelation therapy. Basically, this
therapy is a means by which you can easily remove harmful toxins, including
heavy metals, from your system. Chelation can help in the reduction of symptoms,
treatment and/or prevention of many diseases, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's,
cancer, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, neuropathy, neuralgia, and neuritis.
Chelation can restore health and prevent disease. Listed here are supplements
that may be used in different combinations. Include as many of these as
you can in your daily diet. Remember to also drink plenty of filtered or
purified water (and use the Liver Vacation Rule: six on, one off.) Supplements
include: Fiber (psyllium seed husks), bioflavonoids, selenium, chromium,
garlic, coQ10, alpha-lipoic acid, kelp, pectin, and vitamins A, C and E.
It's funny how one line in a popular song can be so insightful. For those
of you who weren't around to hear it originally, it was quite a hit in the
late 1960's. And whether it gets air time now or not isn't important, but
the message of these few words are.
Recently, after giving a cultural presentation, I was standing around answering
questions the audience had. One woman volunteered that a friend of her's
had the opportunity to be part of a sweat lodge ceremony, and was so moved
by the experience that she had erected a sweat lodge in her own back yard.
"By who's authority?" I asked. Pause. No answer. Pause. "Oh,
but she is so respectful. I mean, she really respects the Indian way. It
really means a lot to her," the woman came back. Clearly, the woman
had not ever considered this side of the question of participating in another
culture or another form of worship. "If she really respected the Native
ways," I said, "she would never have mocked them by putting up
an Inipi to start with. Look, if I go to a Catholic church and am moved
by the service, I don't go running around passing out the Eucharist, I don't
decide to sit in the Confessional, hear confessions and pass out absolutions.
Would that be respectful?" Well, of course not! But so many do not
see that imitation is often mocking. A few days before this incident, I
was again part of a cultural event for a girl scout troop. We explained
to the fathers and daughters at the dinner that the paper headbands and
hot pink chicken feathers that they were wearing were not a good representation
of what Native Americans traditionally wore. We explained that the Eagle
feathers a person placed in his/her hair were sacred symbols and were not
worn lightly. Eagle feathers had to be earned and they were considered sacred
objects. This (the hot pink chicken) choice of plumage was really an insult
to the Native American culture by mocking it. We asked them to please take
them off and put them aside.
This incident reminded me of what so many of us faced at the Redskins/Braves
football game in Kansas City last November. But the outcome of that encounter
was not as clear nor was is as easy to present.
From early morning until late afternoon, AIM (American Indian Movement)
and many other sup- porters held a rally outside Arrowhead (renamed Narrowhead
for the occasion) Stadium. For hours we spoke over microphones to the masses,
and privately to individuals about what the mascot issue was really about.
Why a multitude of Native Americans object to being the focus of sports
team's logos, why we feel it is demoralizing and dehumanizing. "We
do it out of respect!" one man in a paper headdress made of multi-colored
chicken feathers yelled. "You should be proud. We do it to honor you!"
another man, bare chested with lipstick designs running across his face
and body said. In all honesty, I can't remember the last time I felt that
much humiliation. The contemporary side of me was shocked and embarrassed
by what I was seeing, the Shawnee part of me felt outrage and disbelief
at having some of the most precious symbols of our culture trashed. "We
do it to honor you." What kind of honor is there in drunken imitation?
It's not so much the names of the sports teams, it's what the name gives
the fans license to do. But this is also a racist license. We have never
seen the fans of the San Diego Padres dress up like priests, swing rosaries
along with their beer, or throw Holy Water at a base hit. Never have we
seen New Orleans Saints fans haul rubber crucifixes to the game to wave.
There are no cheerleaders dressed as nuns in low cut, hip high outfits.
If non-Natives want to show this type "respect and honor" for
our culture and religious symbols, why don't they show the same kind of
respect for their own? The answer is of course obvious. It's sacrilege.
Then, there is the issue of fostering negative stereo-types. An entire chain
of restaurants (Sambo's) had to redo their motif and name because Black-Americans
found it to be racist and promoting negative generalizations about Blacks
themselves, their history and culture. Can you imagine remodeling every
Denny's in every town in every state in the whole country? And changing
a hand-full of mascot logos for a few sports teams is to tough? What price
justice?
"R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me." To be called fat
in parts of the Hispanic world means to say someone is beautiful. If you
call someone fat in the U.S., you are very likely asking for trouble. A
little sensitivity would go a long way between nations, races and cultures.
Changing the names of the offending teams would not put an end to the fun
at the stadium, it would just show a little more humanity and advance our
evolution a few paces.
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