Breast Enlargement Herbs

Breast Enlargement Herbs
While not actually a health or medical problem, many women have a strong desire to have larger breasts. But the costs of breast enhancement surgery is outrageous. It's not uncommon for standard procedures to run $10,000 or higher. And to make things worse, there can be side effects of breast enlargement surgery, and many women no longer want to take these risks.

So they've begun to search for more natural ways to enlarge their breasts, and most likely they've come across a variety of gadgets which promise to do this for them. Most of the breast enlargement devices on the market however, are simply modified breast pumps. They're designed to "suck" on the breast, which can in turn make the breast's cell tissue to replicate and expand.

This process works, but it's not overly appealing to many women because it's very easy to injure yourself when trying to use one of these pumps. So the next option is usually to look for herbal and natural ways to increase or enhance your breasts. And there are actually many things that can help quite a bit. Most of the herbs used for natural breast enhancement work well because they help to balance and regulate the hormones in a woman's body.

Fenugreek for instance, is more commonly known as an herb for the lungs and lymphatic systems. It is also an excellent hormone regulator for women though, and is often used in herbal breast enlargement combinations.

Fennel is a very nutritious herb normally used for cooking. This herb is excellent for a variety of things including colic, stomach aches, toxin removal, and weight loss. It also however, helps increase milk production in nursing mothers, and it's rich in flavonoids which help boost estrogen secretion. This boost can help new breast cells and tissue form.

Dong Quai is sometimes referred to as a "female ginseng", and it's known for helping restore women to their full levels of health. This herb helps balance female hormones, and resolves a variety of female specific problems such as menopause symptoms, hot flashes, painful periods, and irregular menstrual cycles. This herb is an excellent general tonic to the female glands, and it helps with childbirth and uterus problems too.

Blessed Thistle is an herb which is primarily used for enriching and increasing the milk in nursing mothers. This herb is also wonderful for balancing female hormonal problems though, and it has powerful estrogenic properties which can help with naturally enlarging the breasts.

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Herbs for Infection

Herbs for Infection
There are several infection fighting herbs that can be quite handy to always have on hand in your medicine cabinet, particularly when you have children living in your home. Kids tend to pick up all sorts of bugs and infections from daycare, school, and friends, so you may find yourself using the infection fighting herbs most often.

These particular herbs help to fight infections in the body in one way or another. Some of them help the body to fight infections itself, and others actually kill the virus causing bacteria directly.

One of the most powerful herbal antibiotics that can be found is Garlic. Garlic is actually very close to a "wonder drug", because it not only kills infection causing bacteria, but it can kill fungus related infections too. And it is rare for either herbal or synthetic antibiotics to be able to do both of these jobs.

Garlic has a compound in it known as allicin though, and this is the natural source of the infection and fungus fighting power garlic has. One milligram of allicin has the same infection fighting potency as fifteen standard units of Penicillin does.

Now, the strong odor in garlic is also caused by allicin though, so if you try to use garlic supplements which are labeled as "odor free", you're not going to see much success with those when it comes to fighting infections. Raw garlic is always best if you have it on hand, or you can keep a supply of pure organic garlic supplements instead.

Goldenseal is another extremely powerful natural antibiotic that can be used for a variety of infection types. It doesn't work as well for fungus related infections such as athlete's foot, but it does an excellent job with ear infections, strep throat, and almost any other type of infection you can think of.

Echinacea is yet another very powerful natural antibiotic, but many people have received the wrong information about this herb over the years. Some people believe that taking Echinacea will prevent them from getting sick during cold and flu season, and this is simply not the case. This herb will help prevent you from getting as severe a case of the cold or flu, and it will help your body recover from the cold and flu more quickly than normal. Echinacea is an excellent herb to use for lymphatic and glandular related infections, as well as throat and ear problems.

Kelp is not technically an antibiotic, but it acts as one by helping your body's thyroid to produce more iodine. And iodine kills bacteria in the body. Kelp is also an excellent remedy to use for strep throat too. Since it's a natural source of iodine, you can put it into warm water or tea and drink it. The tea coats the back of the throat, which kills the strep bacteria fairly quickly.

Herbs for Pain

Herbs for Pain

Another type of herb that should always be in your medicine cabinet is those that help relieve pain. The best herb for this of course is White Willow. White Willow will actually relieve pain, reduce fevers, and reduce inflammation such as that found with certain types of arthritis.

White Willow is the original source of modern day aspirin and many of the common anti-inflammatory medicines you can buy over the counter or get in stronger doses via prescription. These include standard NSAIDs such as Motrin, Ibuprofen, and Aleve.

White Willow is an all natural herb which reduces pain by reducing inflammation. The good news though, is that it does not have the same side effects and risks that come with synthetic versions of this type of pain reliever. In fact, standard aspirin based medicines cannot be given to children, because it can cause a disease known as Reye's syndrome. White willow however, does not carry this same risk.

The main natural ingredient in White Willow is known as Salicin. This substance is converted by the body naturally into Salicylic Acid, which is mild to the stomach. So the upset stomach and bleeding ulcer issues that are commonly found with standard aspirin usage are not a problem with this herb either.

As with any other herbs, it's important to make sure you buy high quality White Willow supplements. If you simply buy a product which says it contains white willow, it is not likely to have enough of the actual herb in it to be overly helpful. Try to buy pure, 100% white willow in gel caps for the best results.

Also realize that if a person has taken large doses of synthetic pain killers in the past, their body may not respond the same when taking white willow. You need to compare the dosage amounts first of all: If you normally take two extra strength Tylenol tablets for pain relief for instance, then you may need three or four white willow supplements because they usually contain lower doses per pill than the Tylenol does.

Valerian Root is another useful herb to keep on hand for treating pain. This herb is actually a powerful and effective antispasmodic which helps calm and quiet the body. It relieves pain, helps promote sleep at night with no narcotic effect, and helps calm heart palpitations as well.

Valerian Root has been used for a wide variety of pain related issues such as menstrual cramps, childbirth afterpains, muscle cramps and spasms, headaches, and arthritis pain.

Chinese Herbal Remedies

Alternative medicine has long been practiced around the world and Chinese herbal remedies have been around longer than most. The first work on Chinese herbal remedies, the Shennong Herbal Classic, was completed in the 5th century B.C., it is from this reference that some important herbal remedy formulas originated.

There are 3 Groups of Chinese herbal remedies. The first group is called 'food herbs' which are eaten as part your diet for general fortification, prevention and maintenance. The remaining two groups are called 'medicinal herbs' which are dispensed as individual herbal formulas based on one's constitution, environment and medical condition.

After diagnosing a condition and having administered acupuncture treatments, a Chinese herbal remedy specialist can create a herbal formula from over a thousand common herbal formulas or from the more effective traditional family formulas.

Medicinal herbal therapy works with acupuncture by providing the nourishing support for the energetic 're-programming' and 're-balancing' efforts of acupuncture.

Depending on the condition being treated, when someone takes a Chinese herbal remedy, if the remedy has been mixed to be in balance with the body, little or no side effects are felt. However, this is not always the case as it does depend on the condition as well as the skill of the herbologist who has mixed the herbal remedy.

What has Western medicine to say about Chinese herbal remedies?While there is always a degree of scepticism from the Western medical community, there have been many articles published in Western medical journals supporting the use and benefits of some Chinese herbal remedies.

One example from 1999 is a UCLA School of Medicine report that stated a natural supplement based on Chinese red-yeast-rice is highly effective in lowering cholesterol levels. In 1998 medical researchers at the University of Sydney released a report showing that Chinese herbal remedies are indeed effective in the treatment of Irritable bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Ginseng is certainly the best known and most popular of all Chinese herbal remedies. It is known as the "King" of Chinese herbs. It is true to say that with Ginseng, you get what you pay for. Some Ginseng roots can cost thousands of dollars and most consumers will not be seeking out the highest quality Ginseng. The more affordable Codonopsis Root (Dang Shen) may be substituted in most situations.

Chinese herbal remedies are typically created in carefully prepared combinations. Unless you are a specialist in Chinese herbal remedies, you may not be able to find the individual ingredients. Chinese herbal remedies are available through numerous sources, including prescriptions given out by health professionals (acupuncturists and others trained in the use of Chinese herb formulas), health food products sold in stores, and some products marketed by individuals. Also, some research on the Internet into Chinese herbal remedies does not go amiss.

As always with any type of remedy, consult with a specialist in the area (in this case, Chinese herbal remedies) to get a safe and appropriate diagnosis.

Anti Anxiety Herbs

If you have ever had a panic attack, you don't want another one. The "fight-or-flight" response in your body is involuntarily turned on and your nervous system signals your adrenal glands to start pumping out stress hormones to get you ready to either run away or turn and fight.
Your muscles tense, your heartbeat speeds up, and your breathing becomes more rapid. You might feel like you are smothering, claustrophobic or you may experience an urgency to get away. On top of that, you may get hot flashes, sweating, and/or chills and trembling, plus numbness, tingling sensations, dizziness, and nausea.

You become overwhelmed by an extreme sense of fear and impending disaster and you lose your ability to think calmly and clearly while experiencing a distorted sense of time and a feeling of unreality.

In the face of a physical threat, accident, or natural disaster, this type of response is normal and can be life-saving. But panic attacks that occur unexpectedly in the presence of normal events can be debilitating. They may happen with no forewarning, at any time of the day or night, and last several seconds or more than half an hour.

The triggers for panic attacks are unpredictable. Most panic attacks are set off by some minor or major stressor. But panic attacks also can be triggered by changes in emotions, or as a response to certain drugs, foods, allergies (including hidden food allergies), hypoglycemia, and illnesses.

A panic attack is an example of an acute anxiety disorder and can affect teens to middle-agers and beyond. Women are reported to experience panic attacks twice as often as men but some believe that is only because men are more reticent to report panic attacks.

Recent studies point to a complex set of causes and panic attacks are regarded as a treatable psycho biological condition (i.e. having both psychological and biological causes). Successful resolution of panic attacks requires an integrated, multi-modality approach.

Even though panic attacks are not a simple condition and there are no simple answers for their successful resolution, herbal therapy can be useful as part of an integrated, multi-modality approach.

When you experience anxiety, your body releases a set of neurotransmitters called catecholamines, which stimulate your central nervous system and activate your sympathetic nervous system. Sometimes your sympathetic nervous system (the high alert part of your nervous system) can get stuck in the "on" mode leaving you in an ongoing state of anxiety - a fertile ground for panic attacks.

A class of anti anxiety herbs called nervines helps to turn off the sympathetic nervous system by gently facilitating the functioning of the parasympathetic nervous system - the part of the nervous system that prompts relaxation - helping us to wind down and come off "high alert".

It is a good idea to experiment with different anti-anxiety herbs before you are in a crisis or panic situation. Try out several herbs in varying doses. Start with a low dose and increase if needed so that you will know how the herb affects you and how to use it when you need it.

Some effective herbal nervines to consider using:
Oatstraw (Avena sativa) - the green milky tops of oatstraw provide a wonderful soothing, nourishing and gentle herb for frayed and stressed nervous systems. Oatstraw has a restorative effect on an exhausted nervous system reliably strengthening the whole nervous system after prolong stress. Oatstraw has both an immediate effect (useful when experiencing extreme nervousness and anxiety) and a more long-term restorative effect. Oatstraw is well tolerated by even highly sensitive people and is used for nervous debility, stress, weak nerve and energy force, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and general fatigue.

German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla/ Matricaria recutita) - an all time favorite -because it works. Chamomile tones the nervous system, relaxes your muscles and calms nervous digestion. It has mild sedating properties and is not as strong an herbal sedative as valerian or passionflower. However, chamomile is a great option for anxiety in children or teens and for anxiety associated with mild sleep problems. If you are allergic to ragweed, asters, or chrysanthemums you are better off choosing another anti-anxiety herb.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) -has mild sedative properties and is useful in conditions of nervous agitation with sleep problems and digestive complaints. Lemon balm is especially useful for over-anxiety that causes digestive problems such as nausea, bloating, and colic like pains. Traditionally lemon balm was used to lift the spirits and encourage longevity. Lemon balm is a relaxing tonic for anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and mild depression and its actions will quiet the racing heart that often accompanies anxiety. It has mild anti-thyroid effects and is best avoided by people with hypothyroid problems.

Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia) -tonifies and relaxes the nervous system and is useful for anxiety of all types especially anxiety and irritability that is hormonally based such as premenstrual syndrome. It is a sedative nervine and has mild anti-spasmodic and anti-hypertensive effects. Skullcap is a great herb to use when your anxiety is accompanied by a runaway mind that is stuck on worry. It is tolerated well by most people and has few side effects.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) - one of the most well known anti-anxiety herbs, valerian is a potent herb whose active ingredients, valepotriates, bind to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain (similarly to the drug Valium). The use of valerian does not, however, result in dependence or the development of tolerance but instead tones the nervous system.

Valerian can be used to improve the sleep quality and relax both the skeletal and smooth muscles. Valerian should not be used for those with chronic exhaustion, adrenal fatigue, thyroid disorders, and depression as it may increase anxiety, worsen present symptoms, and/or result in excessive restlessness in these conditions.

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) - a strong calming, anti-spasmodic herb that is good for severe daytime anxiety. Passionflower is also a good choice for middle of the night waking terrors, nightmares, and the onset of sudden anxiety feelings. It acts as a central nervous system depressant giving a calming, relaxing and anti-anxiety effect and is specific for anxiety related to insomnia, muscle tension, restlessness, and nervousness due to worry, overwork, hysteria, or excessive excitement. If you are taking an MAO inhibitor, you should avoid taking passionflower except under supervision.

Get Information on PureCalm for Anxiety & Panic Attacks

Stress Relief Tea

Here is a simple herbal tea mixture that I have found effective in my private practice working with women having mood and energy problems.

Mix together equal parts of the following dry herbs:

~ Oatstraw

~ Lemon Balm

~ Skullcap

~ Nettles

~ Orange

~ Chamomile

Use 1-2 teaspoons of the mixture and steep covered in 8 oz. of boiling water for 5-10 minutes.

The use of herbal nervines as part of an integrative program can help restore a sense of calm and well being, soothe distress, stabilize a confused and overwhelmed energy system, and foster clear thinking.

If you are taking anti-anxiety and/or anti-depressant medications or other medications, have a diagnosed condition or illness, are pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly or very young it is important to consult a knowledgeable health care practitioner before using herbs. Consult a licensed physician for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions.

Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Ann Copson

Sexually Stimulating Herbs

Herbs have been used in all cultures around the world to stimulate sexual arousal, physical sexual feelings and sexual abilities. In the modern world herbs are increasingly more used both to increase the sexual pleasure and as medicine to help for sexual dysfunctions. The herbs are used both in their original form or the working substances are extracted and used as ingredients in tinctures, ointments or pills.

The General Principles of Sexually Stimulating Herbs

The working principles of the chemical components in these herbs are of several kinds, and the ingredients make their effects at different places in the human body.

- Some herbal ingredients stimulate generally the function of the neural system. Since sexual response and feelings are dependent of a well working neural system, the herbs will also increase the sexual response.

- Other herbal ingredients generally improve the body's blood circulation. The better blood flow and the better control of the blood flow will then make the genital organs work better and engorge better upon sexual stimulation. Better engorgement will stimulate the feeling bodies at the nerve endings in the sexual organs and thus give stronger physical feelings.

- There are components in some herbs that stimulate tissue growth and regeneration. Such components can make structures in the sexual organs grow stronger and more capable to do their work.

- Some herbal ingredients stimulate directly centres in the central nervous system that play an important role in the sexual response, and thus increase the psychological arousal. A higher psychological arousal will cause signals to be sent to the sexual organs so that they will engorge more strongly and produce more sexual secretions.

- Still other herbal components stimulate the feeling bodies in the genital organs directly, and will thereby give stronger physical feelings. The stimulation of the feeling bodies will also make the central nervous system send signals back to the sexual organs and make them work more efficient.

- Some herbal ingredients will stimulate the production of sexual hormones or other hormones important for the sexual functions, or they will normalize a disturbed hormonal system.

Some Important Herbs Used for Sexual Stimulation

Here are some important sexually stimulating herbs presented. Many of the herbs stimulate the human organism at several points and thus have more than one type of effect. Where not otherwise indicated, both men and women will feel the stimulating effect.

- Bayberry: The fruits increase blood flow and capillary dilation in the mucus membranes of the vagina, and thus stimulate vaginal lubrication.

- Catuaba: Catuaba is a South American bush. It has long been used as an aphrodisiac by Indians, and is the most important sexually stimulating plant used in South America nowadays. Catuaba generally stimulates the central nervous system, and especially the functions controlling sexual response.

- Cayenne (Cayenne pepper, Spanish pepper): From the fruit one gets a well known spice with a very strong taste. The spice stimulates tissue growth and regeneration. This will make the sexual organs stronger and more efficient. Cayenne also makes the digestion and intestinal functions more effective and promotes heart functions.

- Coffee or tea stimulates the central nervous system to a higher activity and thereby also the sexual arousal. Taking a cup of coffee before sexual activity is often a good idea.

- Cuscuta: The seeds of cuscuta stimulate and normalizes the part of the nervous system that controls the sexual organs. This effect helps control premature ejaculation, helps control urination and vitalizes the functions of the sexual organs. It also has a general stimulating effect upon the nervous system.

- Damiana: Damiana is a small Mexican shrub, of which the leaves are used for medical purposes. Damiana stimulates the function of the sympathetic nerves controlling the sexual organs, the urinary system, the digestive organs and the respiratory organs. The herb thus strengthens all the functions of the sexual organs and urinary system. The herbs have many of the same effects as the female hormone progesterone, and therefore the herb works especially effective for women.

- Ginseng: There are many species of the herb ginseng, growing both in East Asia and Northern America. Ginseng stimulates neural functions and bodily activities. Ginseng stimulates and normalizes the blood flow in the brain and sexual organs. Ginseng also stimulates nerve growth, blood production and sperm production. This stimulation will in turn give a general rejuvenating effect, stronger arousal, better genital functions and stronger physical feelings.

- Hawthorn: Hawthorn is a tree growing in all temperate zones of the world. The fruits are used. Hawthorn stimulates heart functions and blood flow, and helps to reduce atherosclerotic plaque in blood vessels. This general positive effect upon blood circulation will in turn improve sexual functions as for example female engorgement and male erection.

- Horny goat weed (Epidemium): This is an East Asian herb. The whole plant except the root is used in herbal preparations. This herb stimulates the sensorial bodies in the sexual organs, giving stronger genital feelings. It also increases sperm production, giving better fertility. It further stimulates sexual desire by acting upon the central nervous system. The herb also increases the general activity of the nervous system and thereby the general vitality.

- Johimbe; Johimbe is a tall and evergreen tree growing in tropical areas of Africa. The bark stimulates the blood flow in the genitals and therefore helps against erection problems. However, in higher doses the drug can cause hypertension, digestive problems and manic reactions.

- Maca; This South American herb stimulates sexual desire and drive.

- Muira Pauma: Muria Puama is a Brazilian shrub, known as "Potency Wood". Extracts of the bark is used. Muira Puama stimulates sexual desire and libido, and thereby increases potency.

- Suma: Suma root stimulates and normalizes the hormone production of the whole body, both the production of systemic hormones and local hormones. The improved hormonal system will then improve mental and physical sexual functions.

- Peppermint: Leaves of the peppermint plant stimulate the secretion of lubricating substances in the genital system. This facilitates the sexual act and protects the sexual organ against injury.

On the market you can find pills, tinctures or teas made of one or more of these herbs. What herbs or herbal product you should choose, depend on your purpose. The purposes are generally of 6 kinds:

- Increased libido or sexual desire.
- Increased feelings in the genital region.
- Better erection or sexual performance.
- Better lubrication.
- Increased strength or size of the genitals.
- Increased fertility.

Useful Antibiotic Herbs

Antibiotic Herbs
There are several all natural herbal antibiotics that you should learn more about, and keep on hand regularly. These herbs are extremely useful for dealing with almost any kind of infection or sickness, are quite inexpensive, and the pill forms can be stored for a year or more at room temperature.

Garlic - Garlic is a powerful antibiotic herb which should always been in your medicine or food cabinet. Garlic can be purchased in gelcap or liquid form for easy medicinal use, and fresh raw garlic can be used interchangeably as well. Garlic contains a natural compound known as Allicin, which is more powerful than standard Penicillin.

Garlic works wonderfully fighting infections both internally and out. It can be used by mouth for fighting bacterial infections inside your body such as a throat infection, ear infection, sinus infection, kidney infection, bladder infection and so on.

Garlic can also be used on the outside of your body, as an external topical application. This works wonderfully for killing fungus infections such as athlete's foot, vaginal yeast infections, and oral thrush. It is also effective as a treatment against staphylococcus and E. coli bacteria.

Goldenseal - Goldenseal is another very powerful natural antibiotic herb which works wonderfully for fighting almost any kind of infection. Goldenseal is most often used internally for throat, sinus, and ear infections. It's also excellent for any other infections including kidney, bladder and yeast.

Unlike garlic, putting goldenseal on a yeast or fungus infection externally doesn't normally kill the infection. This herb is best taken internally for best results, but it can be used in salves to help prevent infections of scraps, burns and wounds.

Goldenseal is a natural source of insulin, so diabetics and hypoglycemics need to take care in using it.

Echinacea - This is another excellent antibiotic herb which is particularly useful for glandular infections and problems. Echinacea is most often used for ear aches, strep throat and lymph gland problems. This herb is also known for helping to prevent colds and flu symptoms from becoming as severe, and lessening the length of suffering time during cold and flu season.

Echinacea also an antiseptic herb so it can be used in tea form as a sterilizing wash when needed.

Kelp - This herb is not commonly thought of as an antibiotic, but it acts as one in your body by stimulating your thyroid to produce more iodine. Iodine kills bad bacteria that causes sickness inside your body.

Kelp is quite useful against strep throat however, when used in tea form. Since this herb is high in natural iodine itself, drinking it in tea form will coat the throat, allowing the iodine to kill the strep bacteria.