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Treating West Nile Virus with High Quality St. Johns Wort
West Nile Virus, although new to the U.S., is well-documented. The Centers for Disease Control identifies it as a flavivirus, a member of the Togavirus family. It is closely related to yellow fever and dengue fever. This is important because the Togavirus family are encapsulated viruses, i.e., they are covered with a lipid (fatty) coating. This is exciting, because it means the virus is accessible to treatment utilizing high quality St. John's Wort (SJW). Several studies have been done on a variety of encapsulated viruses, including herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, parainfluenza virus, vaccinia virus, cytomegalovirus and several retroviruses including HIV1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10. Non-encapsulated viruses or "naked" viruses were also studied for comparison purposes10,13. SJW was a potent anti-viral agent across a variety of encapsulated virus families, but showed no activity against naked viruses. Unlike a vaccine that is specific to each organism, SJW is active against encapsulated viruses by a variety of mechanisms, including light activation, interference with DNA transcription, impairing the assembly of intact viral particles and the lipophilic (fat-loving) nature of the ring structures (the quinone and phenolic groups)4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. These ring structures are critical to the biologic activity of SJW. From these results, it is reasonable to use high quality, pharmaceutical grade SJW in combating West Nile Virus, since there are no effective pharmaceutical agents. Quality is critical since the level of hypericin and pseudohypericin are key. I can only recommend the SJW product produced by Medi-Herb, which is a pharmaceutical house in Australia, adhering to pharmaceutical manufacturing standards. The product is distributed by Standard Process through alternative health care practitioners, including doctors of chiropractic, acupuncturists and veterinarians. SJW is quite unstable and the active ingredients degrade on store shelves. An independent analysis of 3 products (all of which were certified to contain 0.3% hypericin) were shown to be widely variant, with one product 25% below label claims. It is critically important that the phytochemical integrity of the whole plant be preserved for maximum efficacy.16 References: 1Andersen DO, Weber ND, Wood SG et al. Antiviral Res 1991; 16(2): 185-196. 2Lopez-Bazzocchi I, Hudson JB, Towers GHN. Photochem.Photopbiol. 1991; 54(1): 95-98. 3Moraleda G, Wu TT, Jilbert AR et al. Antiviral Res 1993; 20: 235-247. 4Tang J, Colacino JM, Larsen SH et al. Antiviral Res 1990; 13 (6): 313-325. 5Hudson JB, Harris L, Towers GHN. Antiviral Res 1993; 20 (2):173-178. 6Lenard J, Rabson A, Vanderoef R. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1993; 90 (1): 158-162. 7Degar S, Prince AM, Pascual D et al. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 1992; 8 (11): 1929-1936. 8Carpenter S, Kraus GA. Photochem Photobiol 1991; 53 (2): 169-174. 9Lavie G, Valentine F, Levin B et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1989; 86 (15): 5963-5967. 10Meruelo D, Lavie G, Lavie D et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1988; 85 (14): 5230-5234. 11Kraus GA, Pratt D, Tossberg J et al. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1990; 172 (1): 149-153. 12Takahashi I, Nakanishi S, Kobayashi E et al. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1989; 165 (3): 1207-1212. 13De Witte P, Agostinis P, Van Lint J et al. Biochem Pharmacol 1993; 46 (11): 1929-1936. 14Panossian AG, Gabrielian E, Manvelian V et al. Phytomed 1996; 3 (1): 19-28. 15Lavie G, Mazur Y, Lavie D et al. Transfusion 1995; 35 (5): 392-400. 16Constantine GH, Karchesy J. Variations in Hypericin concentrations in Hypericum perforatum L. and commercial products. Pharmaceutical Biology 1998; 36 (5): 365-367. Dr. N. Rowan Richards was recently awarded the distinction of being one of the top five chiropractors in the state of California. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Internists, a certified herbalist, and a Fellow of the International Academy of Clinical Acupuncture. Dr. Richards has been in practice for over seventeen years providing caring, individualized complete alternative health care in the Los Angeles area. Her web site is www.richardsfamilyhealth.com
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Alternative Medicine About Candida, Its Symptoms & Treatment Candida is a fungal infection affecting the moist external area of the body like mouth, nostril, in side folded skin and vagina basically of a parasitic fungus. There are many types of Candida fungus like Candida Parapsilosis, Candida Tropicalies, Candida vini and sub-types named after the infected areas like Cutaneous Candidasis, Thrush, Vaginal Candidiasis, Penile Candidiasis, Pulmonary Candidiasis, Esophagus Candidiasis, Invasive Candidiasis and the treatments for respective infections are identified. Some Smells Cause Headache Did you know that some smells cause headache? Super Bee Nutrition Bee's and Bee Nutrition Why Your Search for Pain Relief Needs a Strategy If you are like most of us who have known chronic pain, you've tried one thing after another to ease your suffering. Here are three reasons why working with your subconscious and having a well-defined strategy may increase your chances of success. Aromatherapys Mind-Smell Connection Why is smell so strongly linked to memory and emotion? Bath Time For Your Alzheimer's Patient Caring for an Alzheimer's patient is one of the most difficult things you can do. It involves a lot of energy, time and patience. It can be very frustrating. People with Alzheimer's may refuse help from caregivers. This is a sign that they are actually trying to communicate with you. Refusal to accept care is a sign that something is missing or not right. It's up to the caregiver to assess the situation. Martial Arts Martial arts are currently studied worldwide from a variety of cultures. Martial arts can improve your fitness levels and muscular condition immensely. Depending on the martial art you choose to do, you may even learn some effective self-defense techniques. Aromatherapy - Essential Oils for Physical and Psychological Well-being What is Aromatherapy? How to Treat Your Liver Right The liver has many functions, but the one I will concentrate on is its ability to neutralize toxins we eat. The liver is responsible for making sure that nutrients reach your cells and blood is free of toxins and pathogens. It does this by moving these contaminates out through your 5 channels of elimination - kidneys, lungs, colon, lymphatic system, and skin. Youth People Obsessed With Sunless Tanning Darker-complexioned teens will always seek a tanning bed or booth. Because they want a perfect and perpetual tan. Health Benefits of Green Tea For over 3000 years, the Chinese have been using green tea to treat all sorts of ailments, such as headaches and gastronomic problems. With a growing number of scientific data, there is no doubt that green tea is as essential for maintaining good health. Why Most People Dont Really Want To Heal (Part 1) I recently attended a metaphysical lecture facilitated by Guy Williams, a friend of mine who also happens to be a minister of Religious Science. After the lecture, Guy opened the floor for prayer requests, and one of the attendees asked for healing for a family member who was experiencing a significant health crisis. Why DO the Japanese Have the Longest Lifespan? Part 2: Live the Lifestyle Why do the Japanese have the longest lifespan? Last month you learned to eat the things Japanese people eat, and now you will learn how to live like they live. Fast, long, and lively best describes a usual day in Japan. The country is geared towards an active lifestyle, as the 'couch potato' concept is completely foreign. This lively lifestyle centers around three key aspects: work, socializing and recreation. Aloe Vera - The Medicine And Beauty Treatment Of Choice For Millenniums I can remember as a young boy that my grandmother always had an Aloe Vera plant in our home. While playing with the neighbors' kids, I always seem to end the day with plenty of scrapes and minor cuts. Grandma would break off a leaf from her Aloe Vera plant and come to my rescue. Spread over the affected area, the soothing and cooling effect of the leaf's gel is still fresh in my mind. My mother was also quick to apply the gel to the frequent burns she received while cooking. Although many of the remedies that our grandparents would recommend and use originated out of superstition rather than practical application, I don't think that even grandma knew the true magnitude of healing that lies within the leaves of the Aloe Vera plant. Treating Arthritis- Naturally There are actually three common types of arthritis. These are Osteoarthritis which is the most common, affecting around 16 million Americans with an average age of 45. It usually will attack weight bearing joints like knees, hips, and ankles but has been found in the fingers, neck and spine. Each of our joints is cushioned by cartilage, a very dense, sponge-like substance. Osteoarthritis attacks that cartilage and gradually wears it down. Stammering Or Stuttering Stammering or as it is sometimes known as stuttering is a form of speech impediment. Inflammatory Arthritis: Alternative Treatments There are two main types of arthritis: inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Inflammatory arthritis can be treated naturally without drugs. Inflammatory arthritis' symptoms (such as Rheumatoid Arthritis) are exactly what they sound like: inflammation, redness and swelling in the joints. Sometimes there will even be a temperature change in the area affected. Also, in the hand, you may notice that some fingers may look like they are turning away from the thumb (ulnar deviation). Treat Osteoporosis Naturally Osteoporosis is a condition that faces every baby boomer; man or woman. Women are more prone to getting this after menopause, but men can also have "porous bones." Women have much thinner bones and will lose calcium more quickly. Calcium is what makes up the content of the bones and when that is decreased your bones will become more fragile, brittle and break easily. Any type of sudden movement such as a sneeze can become a problem for someone with severe osteoporosis. Often times the patient isn't aware they have this bone problem until the break has already occurred. Small compression fractures can occur in the spine and this creates the bent over appearance or widow's hump. All of this happens silently and until you experience a bad break or have a lot of back pain; you may not know this is going on. So many of us are at risk of this debilitating disease; it really is becoming a public health concern. Some of the risk factors for developing osteoporosis include: Pyrethre: Pest Terminator History Herbal and Home Remedies that Prevent Memory Loss Even a single family member who is senile or afflicted with Alzheimer's is enough to make anyone dread the possibility. Since women have always lived longer than men, the Ancient Grandmothers have a thing or two to tell us about how to keep our memory sharp until the day we die (at 100+). These remedies are taken from my book New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way. They are arranged in order of safety, with the safest first and the most dangerous last.
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