Moonhawk Healing Natural Therapies

Staying Well

Herbal Teas – herbal remedies for home use

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Herbal Teas – herbal remedies for home use

Healers and herbalists in ancient and not so ancient times prescribed herbs as teas as it was the most effective way to administer medicinal herbs. Preservation of herbs using vinegar or alcohol was rare, so herbs were dried at the end of the growing season for use over the following months. Dried herbs aren’t viable for as long a periods as extractions and tinctures made with vinegar or alcohol, but are no less effective in the short term.

Therapeutic Grade is Best

When I talk about herbal teas I’m referring to therapeutic grade herbal teas, not the ones you buy in the supermarket, or even the health food shop.

Although, a good quality herbal tea purchased from a reputable source can be delicious and provide some therapeutic benefit. 

A true therapeutic grade herbal tea is as powerful as a tincture, tablet or capsule, and needs to be treated with care and respect. Never have more than 3 cups a day of a particular herbal tea, unless prescribed by a herbalist or naturopath.

Like tinctures, tablets & capsules herbal teas can be prescribed & taken as a single herb or as a blend. Pleasant tasting herbs, such as peppermint or liquorice, may be added to the blend to make the tea more palatable.

Making Herbal Teas

There are 2 ways of making a herbal tea – an infusion or a decoction.

An infusion is when the herbs (fresh or dried) are put in an infuser or teapot, hot water is poured over and the herbs left to steep in the water for 5-15 minutes, depending on the herb. A standard 250ml cup of herbal tea you will need 1 teaspoon of dried herb or 2 teaspoons of fresh herb. The amount may vary depending on the herb used to make the tea. Dosage is usually 2-4 cups per day, again depending on the herb. Infusion is used for soft products like leaves and flowers.

A decoction is when herbs are added to a pan of water and simmered for 10-20 minutes. Use 20g dried or 40 g of fresh herb, add to 750ml of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for the required time. Strain then drink. The mix will reduce to around 500ml, and make around 3 doses of herb tea. Roots, seeds, bark, berries and twigs are generally prepared using a decoction. The most common herb I’ve prescribed as a decoction is fennel seed – wonderful digestive properties.

Focus on the Intent

Making a herbal tea is a ritual. I like to focus on the preparation and brewing process while making a herbal tea. I’m making something that is doing to be good for me and help me be well, so I think about that while I’m waiting for the tea to be ready. It’s very soothing to do this. I tell my patients to do the same.

Simple Tea Blends

Ginger root and peppermint – chop or slice a 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, add 1 teaspoon fresh peppermint (or ½ teaspoon dried). Add 500ml boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. A great digestive tea.

For a sore throat or really snotty cold, finely chop enough fresh thyme to make 1 teaspoon of herb, add 250ml boiling water, steep for 10 minutes, drink while still hot. You can add honey to this to make it a bit sweeter.

Put 1 teaspoon fennel seeds in 500ml cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drink while warm – you’ll get 2 medium cups from this. This is a lovely tea to have after a big meal, or a ‘fatty meal’ (roast pork or similar). It will help settle the feeling of having overeaten as well.

Mix ½ teaspoon dried chamomile with ½ teaspoons dried lavender. Add 250ml boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Drink before bed for a relaxing sleep.

 

Salt – managing your salt intake

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Salt – managing your salt intake

The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council recommends salt intake for adults is less than 1,600mg per day for adults, with consumption not exceeding 2,300mg per day.

Apart from the salt we add to cooking, most of the salt we consume is in processed foods. For example, processed meats, canned food, takeaway meals, sauces, and other condiments. So an easy way to reduce salt in the diet is to minimise processed food.

Here’s  5 tops tips from the Harvard Medical School on how to reduce salt in the diet.

  1. Use spices and other flavor enhancers. Add flavor to your favorite dishes with spices, dried and fresh herbs, roots (such as garlic and ginger), citrus, vinegars, and wine. Use spices such as  black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, fresh basil, chili, and lemon juice, to add flavor and  create excitement for the palate — and with less sodium.
  2. Go nuts for healthy fats in the kitchen. Using the right healthy fats from nuts and avocados, and good oils like olive and macadamia to add a rich flavor to foods, minus the salt.
  3. Sear, sauté, and roast. Searing or sautéing foods in a pan builds flavor. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of many vegetables and the taste of fish and chicken. If you do steam or microwave some dishes, perk them up with a finishing drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of citrus.
  4. Get your whole grains from sources other than bread. Even whole-grain bread, though a healthier choice than white, can contain considerable sodium. Bread contains quite a bit of salt. You can skip that extra salt when you look for whole grains outside of baking. For example, instead of toast with breakfast, cook up steel-cut oats, farro, quinoa or other intact whole grains with fresh or dried fruit.
  5. Know your seasons, and, even better, your local farmer. Shop for raw ingredients with maximum natural flavor, thereby avoiding the need to add as much (if any) sodium. Shop for peak-of-season produce from farmers’ markets and your local supermarket.
Photo by Calum Lewis on Unsplash

Reset Your Health

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Spring Reset

Increase your Energy and Clear your Mind

It’s true that the human body is equipped to process and remove toxins and other harmful substances. It does this through 5 main detoxification systems i.e liver, colon, kidneys, skin and lungs. This is a chain of events rather than one single metabolic function. Broadly speaking the liver metabolises toxins for excretion by the large intestine and kidneys.

Chemical Revolution

Over the decades there has been a chemical revolution that has developed a vast number of synthetic chemicals to meet the needs of modern living. This includes household cleaners, personal care products, cosmetics, food additives, pollutants, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, plastics and heavy metals. The use of these products in day to day increases the toxic load and limits the body’s ability to process and remove toxins. Toxins are in the air we breathe and the food we eat. Toxins are a natural by-product of many metabolic activities – our own body makes toxins it then has to dispose of.

Detoxification is not new

Naturopathy has a long history of prescribing detox programs, in fact detoxification is a cornerstone of naturopathic medicine. Long before the current trend towards a periodic detox, naturopaths would assist people to clear their body of toxins through activities such as fasting, hydrotherapy, massage, and purging. Herbs and supplements to support the process would be prescribed along with other therapies.

Endogenous toxins – inside you

Endogenous toxins are those made by our own body. Day to day metabolic activities produce a range of toxins which the body then has to remove. Endogenous toxins include metabolites such as free radicals produced as part of energy production. Some endogenous toxins come about when metabolic processes go wrong e.g hormones aren’t metabolised correctly, or digestion and absorption of food goes wrong. A large number of endogenous toxins may originate in an unhealthy gut, e.g overgrowth of pathogens that are detrimental to gastro-intestinal function, leaky gut.

Exogenous toxins – from the outside

Exogenous toxins are those from our environment. This includes heavy metals, chemicals, particles found in pollution, microbes and radiation. Lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium are the most common heavy metal toxins. Chemical toxins come from all aspects of our daily life, e.g furniture in our homes, workplaces, schools, public buildings, businesses and cars leach airborne pollutants into the environment. Indoor airborne pollutants are among the top 5 environmental risks to health and wellbeing. These exogenous toxins damage DNA & mitochondria, disrupt enzymes, and increase oxidative stress and damage.

Toxins of choice

These are the toxins we choose to consume. It includes common foods such as salt (in excess), high fructose corn syrup and food additives (humectants, colours, flavours, preservatives). Alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs are also considered to be toxins of choice.

How do I know if I need to detox?

It’s easy to identify specific symptoms of exposure to toxins as these symptoms scan be directly linked to that exposure. Non-specific symptoms are difficult to identify as there is often overlap with other clinical signs and symptoms, and these symptoms are often poorly defined. Common symptoms of toxic overload include:

  • Fatigue and tiredness
  • Headaches
  • Muscular/generalised aches and pains
  • Poor concentration and short-term memory
  • Skin rashes and hives
  • Recurrent infections
  • Runny nose, nasal/sinus congestion
  • Allergies, and food intolerances/sensitivities

A naturopath will use a questionnaire to identify whether you need to undergo a detox program. Responses to the questions will help identify what type of program you need to undergo and which detoxification systems need to be addressed as part of the process.

Detox Programs

Your naturopath will choose a detox program for you based on:

  • What type of program you need to undergo
  • How much effort you are willing to put into the process
  • What you can afford – this includes time and $$

Programs generally run for 2 to 6 weeks. There are longer programs of up to 3 months. A program will nearly always include a specific eating plan to minimise toxins from food and support principles of good nutrition. Some programs include a meal replacement in the form of a shake.

An effective detox program will enhance digestive function and improve absorption of nutrients as well as supporting liver detoxification pathways. Benefits of a practitioner level detox program include:

  • professional advice & support
  • comprehensive guidance for diet & lifestyle
  • a program that is tailored to suit you, professional products to assist your body detox safely & effectively.

An effective detox program takes a multidisciplinary approach to detoxification. It will incorporate:

  • support from qualified therapists e.g a naturopath in conjunction with a wellness consultant; massage, acupuncture
  • guidance on diet and lifestyle
  • quality herbs and supplements  
  • effective equipment e.g sauna, pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF).

After the detox process

Detoxification doesn’t end when the detox program ends. To maintain ongoing health and wellbeing your health care practitioner or naturopath may prescribe herbs and/or supplements to allow your body to continue to effectively remove toxins. You will need to follow a wellness style eating plan and minimise your exposure to toxins where possible.

Detoxification can clear the way to identify underlying health issues that have been clouded by
non-specific symptoms of toxicity. Detoxing will shine a light on underlying health issues. A naturopath will conduct a follow up appointment after you have completed the detox program to identify outstanding health issue.

In summary, your body is capable of removing toxins on a daily basis. When the toxic load overwhelms your natural detoxification pathway a practitioner level detox program will help you get back to feeling and looking your best.

When you are ready to take the next step here are two things that can help you:

1- start your vitality journey by completing the vitality score card here

2- Ready to make an investment in your ongoing health, book a vitality health chat here



Reference: Herbs & Natural Supplements: An evidence based guide (3nd Edition), by Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen.  
Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy (2nd Edition) by Kerry Bone & Simon Mills
The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety, by Simon Mills and Kerry Bone.  
Medicinal Plants of the World by Ben-Erik van Wyk & Michael Wink.  .

Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash

Sneezing, Sniffing and Scratching

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Allergies can be a pain in more than one way

With Spring just around the corner now is the time to talk about about seasonal allergies. Hayfever and allergic rhinitis are all terms for a group of symptoms where the immune system has become hypersensitive to pollens, grasses, dust, moulds, mites or animal dander.

Symptoms of hayfever and allergic rhinitis include runny and/or stuffy nose; red, watery, itchy eyes; sneezing; itchy throat, nose, eyes and face; sinus pain and headache; post nasal drip; generalised aches and pains, and fatigue.  

Starting around August and running through to late summer around 20% of Australians are affected by seasonal allergies, which impact on day to day life for the duration of what is often called the “hayfever season”. Seasonal allergies can make some people wish Spring never happened.

Why People Get Allergies

So why does your body react this way? If you think of your immune system as an army, then allergies happen when your immune system is ‘trigger happy’ i.e it fires off an immune response when it detects an otherwise harmless substances and thinks these substances are a threat. So when Spring arrives and there is an increase in pollens, grasses, dust, moulds, mites or animal dander (called allergens) your immune system releases large amounts of the chemicals whose role is it to force the allergen out of your body. One of these chemicals is histamine how it does this is reflected in signs and symptoms of seasonal allergies.

What You Can Do to Manage and Prevent Allergies

Conventional medicine approaches seasonal allergies and hayfever by using antihistamines – medications designed to reduce histamine and allergy symptoms.

Naturopathy approaches seasonal allergies and hayfever by using herbs and supplements that work towards both symptomatic relief while also retraining the body’s immune system to not react to seasonal allergens. A Naturopathic Treatment Program will improve your ability to tolerate allergens, reduce your reactive symptoms, and repair your gut, .

What Does the Gut Have to do with Allergies?

Hippocrates said over 2000 years ago that all disease start in the gut. Science is now proving that he was right.

The majority of your body’s immune cells are found in your gut. Inflammation in your gut, damage to the lining of your gut (leaky gut), gut dysbiosis (the wrong mix of good and bad bacteria), all contribute to how your immune system responds to allergens.  

Reducing Your Body’s Reaction to Allergens

Symptomatic relief for hayfever and seasonal allergies can be provided by nutrients such as Quercetin, Bromelains and Vitamin C; and herbs such as Eyebright, Baical Skullcap and Albizzia.   

These herbs and supplements work together to retrain your immune system so it doeesn’t react to allergens, minimise respiratory congestion, and reduce mucus production.

Fix Your Gut

You need to do 2 things to help fix your gut so your body can better cope with allergens.

Firstly, you need to eat food that will support your gut and encourage the right sort of bacteria.

Eat a variety of plant based foods every day. For a healthy gut you need to eat 6-9 cups of vegetables and fruits each day.

You need to consume around 60-80g of fibre daily to feed your microbiome, and help with keeping your digestive system on the move. You can also add a fibre supplements to help with the health of your gut and your gut bacteria. Choose a fibre supplement that provide several different fibres.

Next, improve the integrity of your gut barrier. Your gut is a barrier between you and the outside world. Keeping the barrier strong is essential to overall health and wellbeing. A strong barrier sets the scene for good tolerance and immunity. A weak barrier leads to inflammation, leaky gut, and gut disease.

Simple ways to soothe and repair your gut are Aloe Vera juice (20-50ml daily) and slippery elm powder (mix a heaped teaspoon in water and drink once a day)

Lifestyle Changes

Rinsing your nasal passages with a neti pot can assist. Saline nasal sprays have a similar effect of clearing out allergens form nasal passages.

Keep house dust to a minimum – vacuum your house regularly, avoid highly scented household and personal products (soaps, shampoos, deodorants, air fresheners, perfumes etc).

Choosing the correct treatment regime is essential to preventing and reducing the impact of allergic rhinitis and seasonal allergies. The correct treatment regime will reduce chemical mediators associated with the allergic response, as well as providing relief of symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis. A qualified naturopath can tailor a program to suit you.

Next Steps

When you are ready to take the next step to preventing and managing seasonal allergies, here’s 2 things you can do.

1- Start your journey to better health and vitality by completing the Vitality Scorecard here 

2- Ready to make an investment in your ongoing health, book a Reset Your Health chat here

Reference: Herbs & Natural Supplements: An evidence based guide (3nd Edition), by Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen.  
Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy (2nd Edition) by Kerry Bone & Simon Mills
The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety, by Simon Mills and Kerry Bone.  
Medicinal Plants of the World by Ben-Erik van Wyk & Michael Wink.
Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash

 

Vitamin D

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The Vitamin D Dilemma

Vitamin D – cholecalciferol (D3), ergocalciferol (D2)

Vitamin D is hormone like in its action, and is not considered to be a true vitamin. Despite it not being a true vitamin, it is still classed as a fat soluble vitamin – this means it is insoluble in digestive juices and requires bile for absorption, where it travels through the lymphatic system with chylomicrons (a lipoprotein/carrier protein) before entering the bloodstream. Vitamin D is stored in the liver and adipose tissue and is not readily excreted, increasing the risk of toxicity.  

Vitamin D and Bone Growth  

Vitamin D maintains blood concentration of calcium and phosphorus, the 2 minerals essential to bone mineralisation i.e these minerals help bone become stronger & denser. Vitamin D assists this in 3 ways:

    1. enhances absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the GIT
    2. enhances reabsorption of calcium and phosphorus by the kidneys
    3. mobilise of calcium and phosphorus from bones to blood through parathyroid directed regulation.  

Other functions of vitamin D 

Vitamin D is also involved found in tissues e.g immune cells, brain and nervous system cells, pancreas, skin, muscles, cartilage, reproductive organs.  

Vitamin D has numerous functions and may be valuable in treating disorders such as autoimmunity, anxiety and depression, tuberculosis, gum inflammation, multiple sclerosis and some cancers.

Vitamin D is gaining popularity in the treatment of a number of disease e.g diabetes, Paget’s disease, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and non-specific musculoskeletal pain.  

Making Vitamin D

Vitamin D is considered endogenous and sufficient exposure to sunlight allows the body to synthesise vitamin D from a precursor derived from cholesterol and sunlight. A cholesterol-based precursor produced in the sebaceous glands of the skin is converted to vitamin D with the assistance of UVB rays i.e sunlight. So you need sunlight to produce vitamin D. The same sunlight that is known to cause skin cancer.  Australia has some of the highest rates of skin cancer. This is where the dilemma is.

Australia is a sunburnt country. The Australian Cancer Council has been promoting the slip, slop, slap message, (slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat, for the uninitiated), for quite some years now. I don’t think anyone can argue that this is anything but wise advice.  

However, as even low SPF factor sunscreens can block UVB exposure, constantly using sunscreens increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Not only does sunscreen increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency, so does wearing thick clothing, e.g ‘veiled’ women, or spending most of your time indoors, e.g elderly people in hostels or nursing homes, or long stay hospital patients.

So how much sun is enough to increase vitamin D levels?

There is considerable controversy around this, but it has been suggested that exposing 10-15% of the body to the sun before 10am and after 3pm for 10 minutes between October and March (in Australia) is sufficient to supply adequate vitamin D. During other months up to 1 hour of exposure is needed. This short exposure can be achieved during brief outdoor tasks such as hanging out the washing, or walking to the mailbox, or sitting in the sun reading a book for 10 minutes. Do not make the mistake of ‘topping up’ your exposure on any one day, as this will increase the risk of sunburn and skin cancer. Stick to the 10-15 minute rule, even the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NMHRC) agree that this is adequate sun to keep vitamin D levels up in most healthy people.

Vitamin D is also found in cold water fish oils such as halibut, herring and tuna, egg yolk, sprouted seeds, and foods that have been fortified with vitamin D e.g milk, milk products, some cereals and breads.  

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)

The RDA for vitamin D is 200-400iu or 5-10µmg per day. Therapeutic dose starts at 1000iu or 25µmg per day and can be as high as 10,000iu or 250µmg per day.

Allowances for vitamin D can be averaged out over time and don’t have to be consumed regularly like water soluble vitamins.

Those people who have reduced exposure to the sun, can supplement their diet with vitamin D. However, be aware that ingested vitamin D is only 50-80% bioavailable i.e you will only absorb 50-80% of what you ingest.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Deficiency of Vitamin D most commonly shows as Rickets and/or osteomalacia.

It’s worth noting that studies have indicated that between 75-90% of Australian adults are deficient in Vitamin D, although Rickets is rare.  

Deficiency should be considered in patients with poor fat metabolism – this is because vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. People with low exposure to sunlight may also be vitamin D deficient e.g people whose clothing limits exposure, people in cold climates. Because of its links to the parathyroid, vitamin D levels should be assessed if there is parathyroid dysfunction. Those most at risk of vitamin D deficiency, i.e people over 50 years of age, people with malabsorption problems such as those seen in coeliac disease.

Vitamin D and Genes

There are a number of genes which influence the production, transportation and utilisation of Vitamin D. Knowing an understanding a patient’s genetic profile is a core component to treating the underlying cause of Vitamin D deficiency. For example, if a patient has genes which code for poor uptake of Vitamin D, then it is necessary to supplement with high doses of Vitamin D to correct deficiency.

Excess vitamin D

Too much Vitamin D can lead to calcium imbalance e.g calcification of soft tissue and formation of stones, seizures, disorientation, joint pain. Supplements may cause toxicity – for this reason you should consult a healthcare professional trained in human nutrition before taking a Vitamin D supplement.

If you feel that you may be at risk of vitamin D deficiency, consult a healthcare professional trained in human nutrition.The Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia (NHAA) and the Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS) list accredited practitioners (naturopath, herbalist or nutritionist) who can correctly prescribe vitamin supplements.  

Reference: 

Herbs & Natural Supplements: An evidence based guide (3rd Edition), by Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen.  The Nutrient Bible (6th Edition), by Henry Osiecki.