---

---

.

Is Wormwood A Psychedelic Herb?

There are at least 57 species of wormwood known in Europe and 187 in China, but the most common to be found in the domestic garden are mugwort, grand wormwood, tarragon and Roman wormwood. All the wormwoods share the common characteristics of bitterness and a strong scent, the latter making it useful for keeping away insects. Wormwood has been used since ancient times in herbal medicine to stimulate the appetite as well as treat jaundice and expel worms, the most commonly used species today being Artemisia absinthum. It has also been used as an ingredient in alcoholic drinks such as absinthe and vermouth, which stimulate the digestion…read more

 

 

.

---

.

The Cafeteria-Style Diet

While most readers would have a reasonable idea about what kind of food constitutes a Cafeteria-style diet, few would be aware that it is actually a fast-evolving scientific construct used for clinical research into common metabolic diseases. In fact, a lot of our current evidence-based research is founded on clinical trials involving lab-rats such as pedigree Wistar or Sprague Dawley rats, which are fed a variety of controlled pelletised diets called ‘rat chow’…read more

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

---

.

Is Aspartame Just Pro-diabetic, Or So Much More?

A plethora of synthetic sweeteners are now available as an alternative to cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. Aspartame is one of the most prevalent, promoted for its supposed benefits to the obese and diabetic alike in a myriad of diet or low-calorie beverages and foods, and yet it is linked to disturbing research indicating that it may in fact be worse than the sugars it replaces.

The history of aspartame is a fascinating story for the student of political intrigue who is interested in the way that the vested interests of the food industry operate..read more

.

.

.

---

.

Tooth Decay And Sugar

Dental problems are widespread among people who eat sugar and the more that is eaten, the worse the problem. Refined sugars such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup are staples in the urban diet so it is not surprising that untreated tooth decay affects 36% of the world’s population.

The problem arises because sugar feeds bacteria in the mouth that form biofilms around teeth, the sticky coating we notice when we don’t brush them often enough. Biofilms consist of polysaccharides, protein, fats and DNA, a three dimensional matrix that supports a colony of micro-organisms, nourishing them and protecting them so that they can proliferate and spread. Bacteria and fungi generate acid byproducts underneath these film…read more

.

.

.

---

.

Arnica

Arnica (Arnica montana) is a well-known wound herb with a long history of use in the mountainous parts of Europe where injuries arising from falls are common. It is called leopard’s bane or wolf’s bane, and grows all the way from Siberia to the snowline in the Alps, preferring poor acidic soils.

The tincture can be applied externally or made into a cream for treating bruises, strains and tenderness in muscles and other deep tissues. The most common use is for knocks, falls and sport-related injuries, but it is also good for treating carbuncles, crops of boils, gout and bee stings…read more

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

---

.

A2 Milk: What Is All The Fuss?

The consumption of pasteurised dairy products is associated by some consumers with unpleasant symptoms that evidently arise from a food sensitivity or allergy. While these reactions can resemble one another, they are also often confused with lactose intolerance which is not a food sensitivity or allergy, but a straightforward problem with malabsorption.

To explain further, allergies produce a fast and pronounced immune response, such as anaphylaxis, due to a class of antibodies called IgE, while food sensitivity reactions are usually slow-acting and less dramatic. Of the first type, cow’s milk can be responsible for an immune reaction to casein or lactoserum, while goat’s milk is less allergenic overall…read more

 

 

.

---

 

Is Glyphosate Residue Safe In Your Daily Bread?

Baking old-fashioned sourdough bread can’t be hurried. First the baker has to feed the ‘starter’ with a mixture of organic flour and water on the evening before baking day, and by the morning it will have grown into a spongy mass. The starter is itself made from just flour and water exposed to the environment, which inoculates it with natural yeasts. The baker then mixes most of the starter with more organic flour, water and a little salt to make the dough, and leaves it to rise in a warm place before putting the loaf in the oven.

This is how it was done for thousands of years before high-density urban living required a speedier solution and the Chorleywood Bread Process, developed in England in the 1960s, met this need…read more

 

 

---

.

Aloe Vera And Tissue Regeneration

Cuts, scrapes, rashes, ulcers and burns are so commonplace in a household that it is useful to cultivate wound-healing herbs. The balcony or window-box may have only a single pot containing  Aloe vera, or the garden a variety of plants such as marigold, daisy, plantain, St John’s wort, rue, comfrey and chickweed; nevertheless, you will find these plants regularly in use.

Aloe vera has a long history of use dating back to ancient Egypt, India and China. The trade was well established between China and the Mediterranean, and plantations were producing it before the time of Alexander the Great who, like the Crusader Knights and the Spanish conquistadors, knew of its virtues. In the first century AD, Dioscorides records in his materia medica that it comes from plantations in India, Arabia and Asia…read more

 

.

---

.

Gluten, Coeliac Disease And NCGS

One thing that annoys organic bakers is being asked if their bread contains gluten. It’s not that they are irritated by having to make special breads for a customer who is unwell, but that many digestive problems with symptoms as diverse as bloating, abdominal pain and fatigue are all blamed on gluten, which is only one of the many possible causes.

For example, the problem might actually be a non-immunologic food intolerance to the  carbohydrates or fructans in the grain, or the reaction might be to amylase-trypsin inhibitors which are the natural pesticides in wheat.¹ Another possibility is that there is a susceptibility to glyphosate residue due to the widespread practice of…read more

.

.

---

.

Wine Consumption: Is Less More?

Regular wine consumption is a characteristic of the traditional Mediterranean diet and is associated with a reduced risk of developing several diseases, yet many people today are uncertain about how much is actually beneficial. The key is of course a moderate consumption of alcohol because a high consumption, or binge drinking, increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, cognitive impairment and liver disease.

For example, it is known that about 25 grams per day of ethanol (about 180 ml of wine at 14% alcohol) actually enhances insulin sensitivity and adiponectin levels, which stimulates glucose metabolism and the burning of fat for energy. Wine has also been associated with a reduction in the risk of developing diabetes in one large Australian study.

Nevertheless, finding an association in epidemiological studies …read more

.

---

.

Comfrey

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is often found growing as an ornamental plant in urban gardens. It has large, fleshy leaves covered in hairs and soft hollow stems, producing a cluster of blue, hanging flowers. The root has many branches, a white slimy interior and is covered in black bark. Dioscorides mentions that the root can be pounded into pieces and drunk for the treatment of conditions as varied as blood-spitting (tuberculosis) and hernia. He says that it is a good herb for closing wounds and soothing inflammations, as well as for healing injuries suffered in childbirth. Dioscorides in fact covers most of the present day uses of the herb whether it is eaten fresh, drunk as a tea or applied as a poultice.¹

Comfrey is known mostly for healing injuries just like yarrow and arnica, a class of herbs we call a vulnery. It contains tannins which tone and tighten tissues, mucilage to soothe inflammation…read more

.

---

.

The Paleo Diet

The Palaeolithic Era began 2.6 million years ago and is associated with the use of stone, wood and bone tools. Our species, Homo sapiens, is thought to have appeared some 200,000 years ago in Ethiopia, later overtaking the Neanderthal after a volcanic catastrophe in the Mediterranean some 36,000 years ago. We only began to domesticate animals and plants around 10,000 years ago, and by this time our species had also begun fishing and using fire for cooking.

As a result of our genetic history, we have a digestive system akin to the carnivorous dog, more physiologically suited to fat and meat consumption than the high-carbohydrate, high-fibre diet of vegetarian ruminants.¹ In addition, the larger brain of our species places extra demand on the diet, requiring more fatty acids and protein than the brain of our chimpanzee ancestors…read more

.

---

 

.

Holiday Hippotherapy

When you allow a horse to go at its own pace along a country lane you soon succumb to its rhythm and your mind turns to other things: the kangaroos gathering in a distant corner of the paddock amidst the St John’s wort, a kookaburra sitting on a sagging gate, butterflies drinking from recent puddles along the road.

The horse bends its neck now and then to pick at the seeds on the grass and I get to thinking: If we mend the gate, change the noisy wheel-bearing in the ute and rub some oil into the parched saddle, then the day has passed on small things; if we cut our winter wood, plan the digging of a new dam or put hay aside for the animals for the coming dry, then we are ahead of ourselves. All the same, you have to be careful…read more

 

---

.

Statins: The Controversial Chameleon

Statins can certainly reduce cholesterol, and by as much as 60%, so you would expect the clinical results to be dramatic, especially if they are the world’s number one bestseller worth many billions of dollars annually.¹ Unfortunately the results are not dramatic, and whether a reduction in cholesterol leads to improved mortality is still apparently a subject for hot debate decades after dietary cholesterol and saturated fats were declared ‘villains’ by Dr Ancel Keys.

A key problem with the hypothesis, that lowering serum cholesterol is protective against heart disease, is the lack of efficacy in a dose-response relationship when using these powerful drugs. In these terms, you would expect more drug to produce more lowering and therefore more benefit…read more

.

---

.

Powerful Purslane

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a plant that loves the sun and is readily found growing through the cracks in pavements and on hard, stony ground. It forms a dense cover and can be recognised by its succulent leaves, red stems and small yellow flowers.

While little appreciated in Australia today, purslane was once eaten by the settlers to prevent scurvy when nothing else was available. The seeds were also gathered by the Aboriginals who ground them into a coarse paste or flour. In fact, purslane has been a highly valued addition to the diet everywhere it grows including India, the Mediterranean and tropical Asian countries. It can be eaten raw, added to stir-fries and soups, or used as a substitute for vegetables such as okra, spinach and asparagus…read more

.

---

.

Lactose Tolerance: The Lucky Few

The most common health problem concerning milk is lactose intolerance. This problem is due to the poor absorption of the sugar in milk (lactose) and is not an allergy or food sensitivity. Symptoms such as colic, flatulence and bloating arise due to fermentation of the un-absorbed sugars.

The reason that lactose remains unabsorbed is because the enzyme lactase, which is necessary for its breakdown, is either deficient or absent. This enzyme normally resides on the surface of the intestinal wall amidst finger-like projections called villi. As a consequence, lactose remains in the gut and feeds the intestinal bacteria which ferment it into gas. Lactose also draws fluids into the gut from the gut wall, causing a watery stool not long after consuming the milk.

Lactase deficiency is in fact the normal state for most mammals following weaning..read more.

.

---

.

Can Coca-Cola Be A Wellness Drink Again?

A recent headline in the business papers reported that the cannabis constituent cannabidiol (CBD) may soon be an ingredient in popular beverages, a hot subject for investors given that cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, analgesic, anti-nausea and anti-seizure properties.¹ This broad range of physiological effects is possible because plant cannabinoids resemble our own endogenous cannabinoids and act as chemical messengers to cell receptors all over the body.

Biotech companies are in fact rushing to produce a range of products from acne creams to sleep medicines which contain CBD, and it therefore makes sense that this promising substance could be administered on a broad scale …read more.

.

---

.

Synthetic Honey: Pathogen Or Panacea?

If you happen to read an article published recently in the journal Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, you would certainly form the impression that honey is a potent medicine, as it has been considered by physicians for thousands of years. That is if it is certified organic, a requirement that is apparently necessary in order to make sure that it has not been adulterated on its journey to your table with the kind of sugars that actually cause diabetes.

A recent scandal in Australia has highlighted the commonplace practice of adulteration that is possible due to inferior testing standards, with the result that the honey you eat may be entirely fake, a blend of syrups derived from beet, wheat, rice sugar and corn that improve the importers bottom line…read more.

.

---

.

Old Nettle, New Sting

Nettle can be found growing in mild to temperate regions across the world. The most common species found in Australia, urtica dioica/urens, appears in the spring in urban gardens and around farms where it especially likes damp, shady and well-manured spots. The plant has green stems lined with characteristic stinging hairs, serrated leaves and yellowish roots, and is unfortunately considered a nuisance and routinely sprayed.

Its appearance in spring and its powerful cleansing properties mean that it was traditionally used as a spring tonic and eagerly gathered by local people wherever it was found. It was also considered a nutritious food for both people and their livestock.

Nettle was also a valuable source of fibre for making textiles in the time before the petrochemical industry…read more.

.

---

.

Diabetes And The Clinical Mediterranean Diet

Patients with blood sugar irregularities are usually advised by the doctor to adopt a healthy diet and do some exercise. They resolve to take action, procrastinate and their blood sugar continues to rise along with their weight, blood pressure and other markers of metabolic syndrome. These patients progress to a lifetime regime of pharmaceutical medicines which contributes to the patient’s declining health with a barrage of side-effects.

It seem that we too-readily accepts this model of symptoms management when the science tells us that nutrition alone can be a powerful medicinal force. For instance, The Lancet published in 2017 a paper demonstrating the power of dietary change when compared to…read more.

.

---

.

Cinnamon Is A Potent Medicine

The bark of the cinnamon tree is a popular spice that has been used in cooking and medicine since around 3000 BC. True cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) is usually wild-harvested and the spice is obtained from the dried inner bark of the shoots. Commercial cinnamon may be obtained from one of several species other than zeylanicum such as cassia/ aromaticum (China), burmannii (Indonesia), loureiroi (Vietnam), verum (Sri Lanka), citriodorum (Malabar) and tamale (India).

The main active constituents are cinnamaldehyde, trans-cinnamaldehyde, cinnamate and eugenol which are mostly present in the essential oil, contributing to the fragrance as well as cinnamon’s biological activity. The bark also contains procyanidins and catechins which possess antioxidant activity…read more.

.

---

.

Coffee: Friend Or Foe?

Coffee is made from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant which grows in Africa, Asia, Brazil and many other places around the world. The leaves, fruit and other parts of the plant contain caffeine but only the ripe berries are usually harvested. There are two main species grown: arabica (Coffea arabica) which is indigenous to Ethiopia and is the dominant commercial crop around the world; and robusta (Coffea canephora) which is grown mostly in Vietnam and Brazil.

The berries are harvested by hand, while some coffee is collected from the dung of the Asian palm civet which eats the berries and excretes the valuable seeds after its digestive system imparts additional aromatic qualities. Hand-picked seeds are either dried in the sun for several weeks or soaked and allowed to ferment for a few days …read more

.

---

.

Plantain For First Aid

Plantain is a very useful first-aid herb that can be easily found in suburban gardens or paddocks in the country. You will find it growing in your front lawn as the slender ribwort (Plantago lanceolate), but less commonly the broad-leaved species (Plantago major).

Plantain forms a basal rosette bearing thickly-veined leaves, and has ridged stems which carry clusters of pale white flowers. A tough herb, plantain has a tolerance for all but the most acid soil and can even germinate in dry ground. Wild plantain (Plantago cunnignhamii) was called sago weed by the colonists of Western Australia who made it into ‘sago pudding’ by adding boiling water and sugar to the seeds. The seed from the species Plantago debilis was also mixed with water by the Aboriginals in NSW in order to make a kind of porridge…read more