This is the conclusion of the following three studies I have cited below, “Although iodine is an essential nutrient for the production of thyroid hormones, practitioners should not recommend iodine supplementation or even iodine containing herbs such as kelp or Irish moss. There is a body of evidence suggesting that excess iodine consumption is implicated in Hashimoto's thyroiditis (13) and that iodine restriction can be of benefit”.
1.      Noel R. Rose, Raphael Bonita and C. Lynne Burek Iodine: an environmental trigger of thyroiditis Autoimmunity Reviews Volume 1, Issues 1-2, February 2002, Pages 97-103
2.     Yoon SJ, Choi SR, The effect of iodine restriction on thyroid function in patients with hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Yonsei Med J. 2003 Apr 30;44(2):227-
“ Excessive iodine intake may result in elevated blood glucose and blood pressure and has some influence on blood lipids, and may increase the risk of hypertension and diabetes.”  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30798477/


3. "After 21 days of the use of iodized salt, 84.6 per cent of the subjects had an iodine excess. We conclude that prolonged use of this iodized salt exposes the population to the risk of thyroid disorders." https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10667088/
 
Every client I've seen with cancer or diabetes also had a thyroid imbalance. We have had great success healing the thyroid with the herbal formula, Kanchanar Guggulu and a specific diet, rather than than the chemical, iodine. For Hashimotos and other auto immune disorders we use Haba Baraka.
Taking iodine supplements over a prolonged period of time can cause hypothyroidism by blocking thyroid hormone production. The risk of thyroid cancers such as thyroid papillary cancer or thyroid follicular cancer may also be higher in people taking iodine supplements. Thyrotoxicosis, a life-threatening complication of having elevated iodine levels, can also occur if you take iodine supplements. Symptoms include fever, confusion, rapid heartbeat and other abnormal irregular heartbeats and congestive heart failure. If you have any of these symptoms while taking iodine supplements, you need immediate medical care.
 
Possible Side Effects
Lugol's iodine is a liquid made up of two parts potassium iodide for every one part elemental iodine in water. It is little different from iodine.
Iodine can be corrosive to the stomach. An overdose of iodine supplement can cause abdominal pain and sometimes bloody diarrhea. Corrosive gastritis, nausea, vomiting and bleeding from the intestinal tract can also cause overdose.
 
“By an iodide overload hyperthyroidism could ensue as a consequence , the Jod-Basedow effect, which is more frequent in iodine deficient areas, and in patients with multinodular goiter. Iodine excess can also lead to other untoward thyroid imbalances .These pathologic consequences will disappear when iodine is withdrawn. Symptom relief from iodine induced thyrotoxicosis can be achieved with beta-blockers and in severe cases with high doses of antithyroid drugs.
 
Wolff-Chaikoff is the effect of iodide in normal mice which lead to an increase of intrathyroidal iodine concentration within 24–48 h and a subsequent decrease of thyroid hormone synthesis In healthy subjects there is an adaption to iodine excess by an autoregulatory mechanism within the thyroid, which serves as a defense against fluctuations in the supply of iodine and permits escape from the paradoxical inhibition of hormone synthesis that a very large quantity of iodine induces. Defective or absent autoregulation can occur in predisposed patients, as in those with euthyroid Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and in GD-patients treated with radioiodine or subtotal thyroidectomy Thus, these are more prone to develop hypothyroidism secondary to an iodine overload. Hyperthyroidism  more commonly occurrs in iodine deficent subjects, and in patients with multinodular goiter.
The escape from acute Wolff-Chaikoff effect is associated with a decrease in thyroid sodium/iodide symporter causing a reduction in intrathyroidal iodide concentration [29]. There is also a form of escape following iodide therapy in GD which has been described as common [30, 31]. Thus, in treating patients with hyperthyroidism with LS an exacerbation of thyroid hormone levels could be a consequence after a period of blocking the thyroid, as the gland has become loaded of iodine substrate for hormone synthesis”  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5693970/
​
"Higher all-cause mortality among those with excess iodine intake compared to individuals with adequate iodine intake highlights the importance of monitoring population iodine status. "  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29882490/#:~:text=Results%3A%20Over%20a%20median%20follow,confidence%20interval%201.04%2D1.37%5D).
​
“Conclusion: Differential expression of thyroid genes in BBdp versus BBc rats caused by excess dietary iodine may be implicated in autoimmune thyroiditis and insulitis pathogenesis.”  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22058052/
 
Iodine-induced hypothyroidism
​Vulnerable patients with specific risk factors might have an increased risk of failing to adapt to the acute Wolff–Chaikoff effect.7 Susceptible patients include those with autoimmune thyroid disease; a previous history of surgery, 131I or antithyroid drug therapy for Graves disease; subacute thyroiditis; postpartum thyroiditis; type 2 amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT); hemithyroidectomy; IFNα therapy; and concomitant use of potential goitrogens, such as lithium. Failure to escape from the acute Wolff–Chaikoff effect might also be more likely during fetal development, a period when the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis is still immature, and during neonatal life.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3976240/
 
 
Production and Manufacturing
Iodine is created from gaseous hydrocarbons (natural gas) using caustic chemicals.
Iodide is present in the salty brines of natural gas fields and is extracted to make iodine by three main processes:
Blow-out – During the blow-out process, oxidized iodine is extracted in a countercurrent air flow process based on the distinct vapor pressure of the iodine. The iodine-filled air is reduced to iodide by the addition of sulfur oxide. In the finishing process, the acidic iodide solution is oxidized by addition of chlorine to form iodine crystals.
Carbon Absorption – Carbon Absorption is most often used when the brine has a low iodine concentration. The free iodine in the acidified brine solution is captured with activated carbon and neutralized with ammonia. The iodine is extracted from the activated carbon using hot caustic soda, which produces an iodate-iodide mixture. This solution is acidified with sulfuric acid and the iodine is separated by filtration.
Ion Exchange – In ion exchange, the free iodine from oxidized brines is flown through resin-packed ion exchange columns. Once the resin is saturated with free iodine, it is transferred to an elution column that is treated with a caustic salt solution. The eluted iodine is recovered by addition of acid and removed by solid/liquid separation.

Iodine can be found in caliche ore, and the north of Chile has the largest deposits of caliche ore in the world. From a chemical company that mines this-- “Our joint venture partner mines the caliche ore deposits in Chile to produce the world’s largest supply of raw iodine.
 
Iodate can be extracted from ore by leaching in one of two ways depending on the ore’s nitrate concentration:
•Heap leaching for low nitrate containing ores
•Vat leaching from high nitrate containing ores
Most of the iodate solution from leaching goes through a sulfur oxide absorption tower. The iodide produced mixes with the rest of the iodate solution, which results in a suspension. The iodine in suspension is reduced to iodide, with the addition of sulfur oxide, and then recovered as a concentrated iodide solution. Most iodine precipitates out of the solution to form crystals, which are captured by flotation.”
 

The chemicals produced in a lab and designated as vitamins, have become very popular in allopathy and naturopathy. Though people have lived somehow for thousands of years without these, many feel they are necessary because our food is not as good as it may have been in the past. This is known as the “scorched Earth theory” that says our land and water is polluted so we cannot get good nutrition from it.
By supporting your local organic farmers instead of eating food with herbicide and pesticide or taking drugs, the fertility of our soil can be increased, as well as our own health. More and more women are acquiring hypercalcemia, which is more difficult to cure than cancer. One of the causes of this is taking high doses of "vitamin" D, especially with Tamoxifen. Sometimes just taking this drug is enough to cause hypercalcemia. This is why.
There is nothing natural about the supplement, "vitamin" D. Most people already get enough D as it is formed naturally in the skin when exposed to sunlight, is present in significant levels in certain fish, mushrooms and eggs. The MDR has been artificially raised because there is a conflict of interest from the manufacturer sitting on the Council. Though Dr. Holick has been identified as sitting on this council and being a manufacturer of this drug, no agency has demanded he step down from this position.

How it is Made
This is not being cooked up by a little old grandma somewhere. It's not "natural" nor are doctors afraid to prescribe it. These are some of the big pharma corporations manufacturing it: Ion labs, Lycored, Fermented Biotech limited, Laxmidas and Co, Supreme Pharmaceuticals-- in India; Polymed-- US; Zhejiang Biotech-- China. There are two major forms of supplemental vitamin D: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

Vitamin D is a vitamin, with
(2) 25-hydroxy-Vitamin D being a prehormone (a glandular secretory product converted peripherally to an active hormone, namely 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol); while
(3) 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol) is a secosteroid hormone functioning as a a molecular switch which is known to target over two hundred known human genes, and thus serves as a transcriptional gene regulator,
then I would argue that we need to construe Vitamin D itself as something more than a vitamin but less than a strict hormone (that function being reserved for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol)), in order to reflect and accommodate its gene transcriptional regulator functions, and so it would be more clarifying to speak of Vitamin D as not a simple vitamin, but rather as a biomodulator vitamin, a vitamin which exerts transcriptional regulation of genes at the molecular pathway level. https://www.researchgate.net/post/Is_vitamin_D_a_hormone_or_vitamin
Vitamin D3 is approximately three times more potent than vitamin D2, and it also binds to the protein receptors in your body. Taking K with D3 does not mitigate the dangers posed by this chemical that alters the DNA.
It is commercially made from synthesizing certain chemicals in lanolin washed from lambs’ wool. This is how one manufacturer describes the process (I added caps to some of the description). Crude lanolin undergoes saponification; this separates the fatty component which is removed via centrifugation, from the ‘unsaponifiable’ component, known as ‘lanolin alcohols’.
These undergo further steps of saponification and separation to increase purity. Crude cholesterol is extracted from lanolin alcohol using solvent washes and / or column chromatography. The crude cholesterol undergoes a series of further SOLVENT extractions, washes and drying until it is extremely pure and crystalline. Purified cholesterol is then taken through a four-step CHEMICAL process to make 7-Dehydrocholesterol, this is otherwise known as ‘pre-Vitamin D3’
Next, the pre-Vitamin D3 is IRRADIATED to produce Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol); Finally, the pure crystals of Vitamin D3 are used to make the stabilized product forms that can be used to manufacture supplements and other end use applications such as foods and beverages."
As with lanolin, the process to extract the chemical D3 from lichen also involves extraction, purification and concentration.
Use as rodenticide. "Cholecalciferol produces hypercalcemia, which results in systemic calcification of soft tissue, leading to renal failure, cardiac abnormalities, hypertension, CNS depression, and GI upset. Signs generally develop within 18-36 hr of ingestion and can include depression, anorexia, polyuria, and polydipsia. In New Zealand, possums have become a significant pest animal, and cholecalciferol has been used as the active ingredient in lethal gel baits and cereal pellet baits "DECAL" for possum control.
The LD50 is 16.8 mg/kg, but only 9.8 mg/kg if calcium carbonate is added to the bait. Kidneys and heart are target organs.” (2) 25-hydroxy-VitaminD being a prehormone (a glandular secretory product converted peripherally to an active hormone, namely 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol); while (3) 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol) is a secosteroid hormone functioning as a a molecular switch which is known to target over two hundred known human genes, and thus serves as a transcriptional gene regulator. Vitamin D itself as something more than a vitamin but less than a strict hormone (that function being reserved for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol)), in order to reflect and accommodate its gene transcriptional regulator functions, and so it would be more clarifying to speak of Vitamin D as not a simple vitamin, but rather as a biomodulator vitamin, a vitamin which exerts transcriptional regulation of genes at the molecular pathway level. https://www.researchgate.net/.../Is_vitamin_D_a_hormone...
 
Conflict of Interest
“Dr. Holick’s role in drafting national vitamin D guidelines, and the embrace of his message by mainstream doctors and wellness gurus alike, have helped push supplement sales to $936 million in 2017. That’s a ninefold increase over the previous decade. Lab tests for vitamin D deficiency have spiked, too: Doctors ordered more than 10 million for Medicare patients in 2016, up 547 percent since 2007, at a cost of $365 million.”  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/18/business/vitamin-d-michael-holick.html
 
This is the org that recommended the increased requirement for vitamin d in 2010. At least one of the board members, Dr. Holick, also manufactures this drug. http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D/Vitamin%20D%20and%20Calcium%202010%20Report%20Brief.pdf

Even they have had to admit the danger of supplementing fortified foods with more synthetic vitamin D. “The upper level intakes set by the committee for both calcium and vitamin D represent the safe boundary at the high end of the scale and should not be misunderstood as amounts people need or should strive to consume. While these values vary somewhat by age, the committee concludes that once intakes of vitamin D surpass 4,000 IUs per day, the risk for harm begins to increase. Once intakes surpass 2,000 milligrams per day for calcium, the risk for harm also increases. As North Americans take more supplements and eat more of foods that have been fortified with vitamin D and calcium, it becomes more likely that people consume high amounts of these nutrients. Kidney stones have been associated with taking too much calcium from dietary supplements. Very high levels of vitamin D (above 10,000 IUs per day) are known to cause kidney and tissue damage. There is strong evidence of possible risks for daily vitamin D.”

This paper examines the claims made (in a rather sarcastic way) that vitamin D supplements will cure Covid 19.  Here is an excerpt “ The Castillo et al paper seems to be extremely authoritative, maybe because not many bothered to read it properly, but here is a nice takedown by DW Science. It quotes Martin Smollich, pharmacology professor at University of Lübeck in Germany, who noticed that the placebo control arm of the clinical trial included 19% of diabetics and 57% of hypertension sufferers, who are the highest COVID-19 risk group. The Vitamin D arm, where the survival rates were so much higher, happened to have merely 6% of diabetics and 24% of hypertension patients. But it passed peer review, so how dares Smollich to criticise it now!
Now, we arrive at some really serious money making. With these authors it cannot be any more obvious that they are all unashamed Vitamin D industry shills. Especially the last character on that paper.
Harvey W. Kaufman, Justin K. Niles, Martin H. Kroll, Caixia Bi, Michael F. Holick SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels PloS one (2020) doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239252
The first four authors are employees of Quest Diagnostics, which tests your blood Vitamin D levels and then sells you Vitamin D supplements. The last author is the notorious Michael Holick, described by New Yorker as “The Child-Abuse Contrarian” You can read further down in this section about Dr. Holicks’s foray into being a highly paid expert witness to defend child abusers. https://forbetterscience.com/2020/09/28/we-reached-the-stage-where-vitamin-d-is-the-cure-for-covid-19/
​
The following quote is from a study looking at the use of D supplements, not funded by the Vitamin D Council or Dr. Holick's group.
"It is apparent that much of the reported high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in healthy populations of the world is artificial, created by unjustified high cutoff values of serum 25(OH)D. Most of the individuals diagnosed as vitamin D-deficient based on these criteria lack any marker of ill health, including bone mineral deficiency.
In developing countries, an assay of 25(OH)D is presently available only to a small number of high-income people who get it done on the recommendation of the physicians or on routine screening. The use of high cutoff values of the normal range by the laboratories creates unnecessary panic leading to potentially irrational intervention in the form of high-dose supplementation with medicinal vitamin D, often posing a risk of toxicity… When a nutrient deficiency is found to be near-universal, a key question that emerges is whether the basis of diagnosis of the deficiency is valid and whether there are any adverse health consequences if the deficiency is not corrected.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4581139/

This article references the well-researched article in the NY Times previously mentioned. “Dr. Hollick was paid by one the largest companies that perform the lab test for Vitamin D levels and also by one of the companies that sell Vitamin D supplements to help them sell more products (that’s why companies pay people).
·      He managed to get the Endocrine Society to adopt the position that normal Vitamin D levels should be between 30-100 ng/ml in 2011 despite there not being any evidence to support this range.
·      This new guideline automatically made about 60-80% of the US population Vitamin D “deficient” and Hollick promoted widespread testing and supplementation (still with no evidence that this made people healthier).
·      Hollick promoted the narrative that there was a Vitamin D deficiency “epidemic” (after creating it by changing the normal values) and he promoted his 2010 Vitamin D book which made wild and unsubstantiated claims about Vitamin D. https://howardisms.com/evidence-based-medicine/yes-vitamin-d-is-a-scam/
Dr. Holick’s lack of integrity and honesty was revealed again in 2019 when he was asked to serve as an expert witness to defend a child abuser.  Defending abusers is something he did quite a bit of before the hospital he was working with “restricted” him. “Last September, we examined Dr. Michael Holick’s work as an expert witness for alleged abusers. In the wake of the article, his hospital notified Massachusetts’ medical board that it restricted his privileges.”  You can read the whole article here. https://www.propublica.org/article/boston-hospital-reports-disciplining-of-renowned-child-abuse-skeptic

Side Effects
“Confusion, apathy, recurrent vomiting, abdominal pain, polyuria, polydipsia, and dehydration are the most often noted clinical symptoms of vitamin D toxicity (VDT; also called vitamin D intoxication or hypervitaminosis D). VDT and its clinical manifestation, severe hypercalcemia, are related to excessive long-term intake of vitamin D, malfunctions of the vitamin D metabolic pathway, or the existence of coincident disease that produces the active vitamin D metabolite locally. Although VDT is rare, the health effects can be serious if it is not promptly identified. …Researchers have proposed many processes to explain VDT. Those processes include elevated activity of 1α-hydroxylase or inhibited activity of 24-hydroxylase, both leading to increased concentration of 1,25(OH)D; increased number of vitamin D receptors; and saturation of the capacity of vitamin D binding protein. Increased public awareness of vitamin D–related health benefits might increase the risk of VDT due to self-administration of vitamin D in doses higher then recommended for age and body weight or even higher than the established upper limit intake values. Consequently, the incidence of hypercalcemia due to hypervitaminosis D might increase.”   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6158375/

“As more patients are tested, an increasing number of individuals with elevated serum 25(OH)D levels have been identified. Vitamin D toxicity occurs from exposure to extremely high doses of vitamin D supplementation, which can be the result of manufacturing errors or accidental or intentional incorrect dosing. It is important to emphasize that supplementation is usually driven more by patients than physicians. Since vitamin D increases calcium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, vitamin D intoxication manifests primarily as hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria. This leads potentially to muscle weakness, hypertension, neuropsychiatric disturbances, gastrointestinal upset, polyuria and polydipsia, renal calculi, and, in extreme cases, renal failure, deposition of calcium phosphate crystals in soft tissues throughout the body, cardiac arrhythmias (reduced action potential), calcification of coronary vessels and heart valves, and ultimately, death.”  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6115827/


In developing countries, an assay of 25(OH)D is presently available only to a small number of high-income people who get it done on the recommendation of the physicians or on routine screening. The use of high cutoff values of the normal range by the laboratories creates unnecessary panic leading to potentially irrational intervention in the form of high-dose supplementation with medicinal vitamin D, often posing a risk of toxicity" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4581139/
Taking high doses of this chemical is known to cause hypercalcemia. “Conclusions: It is common practice to prescribe high-dose cholecalciferol to MS patients for its possible role in immunomodulation and relapse-rate reduction. Nevertheless, cholecalciferol may increase serum calcium, and there seems to be an additive effect when patients simultaneously use calcium supplements. This case underscores the need for physicians to be attentive to the possibility of hypercalcemia in patients treated with both high-dose cholecalciferol and calcium.”  https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/1107961

“Confusion, apathy, recurrent vomiting, abdominal pain, polyuria, polydipsia, and dehydration are the most often noted clinical symptoms of vitamin D toxicity (VDT; also called vitamin D intoxication or hypervitaminosis D). VDT and its clinical manifestation, severe hypercalcemia, are related to excessive long-term intake of vitamin D, malfunctions of the vitamin D metabolic pathway, or the existence of coincident disease that produces the active vitamin D metabolite locally.”  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2018.00550/full
 
“The upper-limit intake for vitamin D recommended by the Endocrine Society, when co-administered with calcium intake at the upper recommended level, is associated with increased odds for hypercalciuria when compared against recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, according to findings from a randomized, double-blind controlled trial”  https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20180913/recommended-upper-limits-for-vitamin-d-calcium-associated-with-hypercalciuria
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16622738/  This study looks into the cases of hypercalcemia from tamoxifen.
While physicians continue to prescribe vitamin D to their cancer patients, researchers have noted an alarming trend. “Hodgkin, non-Hodgkin, and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma are associated with hypercalcemia). Hypercalcemia occurs in approximately 13% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas and 5% of Hodgkin lymphomas. Lymphoma patients with hypercalcemia tend to have more extensive disease and reduced survival. Increased serum levels of  D3 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypercalcemia in virtually all cases of Hodgkin lymphoma and in 30–40% non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is likely that the production of D3 occurs at extra-renal sites inasmuch as patients with lymphoma have had elevated 1α,25(OH)2D3 despite the presence of renal failure”  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5045493/

Use as rodenticide. "Cholecalciferol produces hypercalcemia, which results in systemic calcification of soft tissue, leading to renal failure, cardiac abnormalities, hypertension, CNS depression, and GI upset. Signs generally develop within 18-36 hr of ingestion and can include depression, anorexia, polyuria, and polydipsia. In New Zealand, possums have become a significant pest animal, and cholecalciferol has been used as the active ingredient in lethal gel baits and cereal pellet baits "DECAL" for possum control. The LD50 is 16.8 mg/kg, but only 9.8 mg/kg if calcium carbonate is added to the bait. Kidneys and heart are target organs.”
 
 

HEALING CROHN’S WITH AYURVEDA
Healing from any chronic disease, including cancer, is dependent on gut health as well as other factors. 
 
Our Garden
The digestive processes in the soil have similar processes to those inside the human body. It seems that every adult has a surface the size of a tennis court lining his or her intestines. This large surface is inhabited by bacteria and fungi similar to those found in healthy soil.
 
This “organ” which is integral to our nutrition but is not genetically human, is metabolically active and changeable. It contains over 300 species, mostly bacteria with a few kinds of fungi.
 
This gut flora promotes normal gastrointestinal function, provides protection from infection, regulates metabolism and comprises more than 75% of our immune system. The “flora” also makes the important vitamins B and K. Dysregulated gut flora has been linked to diseases ranging from autism and depression to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s, inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes.       
                                                                                                              
But the intestine is not only there for digestion: it also produces various substances that carry messages to other parts of the body, and plays an important role in fighting germs and regulating the body’s water balance. There is a particularly high number of nerve cells in the wall of the intestine. For some people, the intestine reflects how they are feeling: for instance, they might get a stomach ache, diarrhea or constipation when they are stressed or upset about something.
 
SYMPTOMS
The most common symptoms in Crohn’s disease are those related to the inflammatory damage to the digestive tract.

Diarrhea – Waxes and wanes; stool may contain mucus, blood, or pus
Pain in the abdomen – Crampy or steady; in the right lower part of the abdomen or around the belly button; often relieved temporarily by having a bowel movement
Bloating after eating – Less common, usually seen in cases of bowel obstruction
Constipation – Usually seen in cases of bowel obstruction
Pain or bleeding with bowel movement
Infection of the urinary tract or vagina – Suggests a fistula from the intestinal tract
General symptoms occur in some but not all cases.
Low-grade fevers
Weight loss
Fatigue
Other symptoms of Crohn’s disease may be attributable to related medical conditions affecting the skin, joints, mouth, eyes, liver, and bile ducts.
Many people with Crohn’s disease have symptoms for years prior to the diagnosis. The usual onset is between 15 and 30 years of age, but can occur at any age. Because of the ‘patchy’ nature of the gastrointestinal disease and the depth of tissue involvement, initial symptoms can be more subtle than those of ulcerative colitis. People with Crohn’s disease experience chronic recurring periods of flare-ups and remission.
 
Abdominal pain may be the initial symptom of Crohn’s disease. It is often accompanied by diarrhea, especially in those who have had surgery. The diarrhea may or may not be bloody. The nature of the diarrhea in Crohn’s disease depends on the part of the small intestine or colon involved. Ileitis typically results in large-volume, watery feces. Colitis may result in a smaller volume of feces of higher frequency. Fecal consistency may range from solid to watery. In severe cases, an individual may have more than 20 bowel movements per day and may need to awaken at night to defecate. Visible bleeding in the feces is less common in Crohn’s disease than in ulcerative colitis, but may be seen in the setting of Crohn’s colitis. Bloody bowel movements are typically intermittent, and may be bright or dark red in color. In the setting of severe Crohn’s colitis, bleeding may be copious. Flatulence and bloating may also add to the intestinal discomfort.

Symptoms caused by intestinal stenosis are also common in Crohn’s disease. Abdominal pain is often most severe in areas of the bowel with stenoses. In the setting of severe stenosis, vomiting and nausea may indicate the beginnings of small bowel obstruction. Although the association is greater in the context of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease may also be associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a type of inflammation of the bile ducts, but it is more commonly associated with Ulcerative Colitis.

Perianal discomfort may also be prominent in Crohn’s disease. Itchiness or pain around the anus may be suggestive of inflammation, fistulization or abscess around the anal area or anal fissure. Fecal incontinence may accompany perianal Crohn’s disease. At the opposite end of the gastrointestinal tract, the mouth may be affected by non-healing sores (aphthous ulcers). Rarely, the esophagus, and stomach may be involved in Crohn’s disease. These can cause symptoms including difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), upper abdominal pain, and vomiting.

Systemic
Crohn’s disease, like many other chronic, inflammatory diseases, can cause a variety of systemic symptoms. Among children, growth failure is common. Many children are first diagnosed with Crohn’s disease based on inability to maintain growth. As it may manifest at the time of the growth spurt in puberty, up to 30% of children with Crohn’s disease may have retardation of growth.
Fever may also be present, though fevers greater than 38.5 ˚C (101.3 ˚F) are uncommon unless there is a complication such as an abscess. Among older individuals, Crohn’s disease may manifest as weight loss, usually related to decreased food intake, since individuals with intestinal symptoms from Crohn’s disease often feel better when they do not eat and might lose their appetite. People with extensive small intestine disease may also have malabsorption of carbohydrates or lipids, which can further exacerbate weight loss.

Extra-intestinal
In addition to systemic and gastrointestinal involvement, Crohn’s disease can affect many other organ systems. Inflammation of the interior portion of the eye, known as Uveitis, can cause eye pain, especially when exposed to light. Inflammation may also involve the white part of the eye (sclera), a condition called Episcleritis. Both Episcleritis and Uveitis can lead to loss of vision if untreated.

Crohn’s disease is associated with a type of rheumatologic disease known as Seronegative Spondyloarthropathy. This group of diseases is characterized by inflammation of one or more joints (Arthritis) or muscle insertions (Enthesitis). The arthritis can affect larger joints, such as the knee or shoulder, or may exclusively involve the small joints of the hands and feet. The arthritis may also involve the spine, leading to Ankylosing Spondylitis if the entire spine is involved or simply Sacroiliitis if only the lower spine is involved. The symptoms of arthritis include painful, warm, swollen, stiff joints and loss of joint mobility or function.

Crohn’s disease may also involve the skin, blood, and endocrine system. One type of skin manifestation, Erythema nodosum, presents as red nodules usually appearing on the shins. Another skin lesion, Pyoderma gangrenosum, is typically a painful ulcerating nodule.
Crohn’s disease also increases the risk of blood clots; painful swelling of the lower legs can be a sign of deep venous thrombosis, while difficulty breathing may be a result of pulmonary embolism. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, a condition in which the immune system attacks the red blood cells, is also more common in Crohn’s disease and may cause fatigue, pallor, and other symptoms common in anemia. Clubbing, a deformity of the ends of the fingers, may also be a result of Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease may cause Osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). Individuals with osteoporosis are at increased risk of bone fractures.

Crohn’s disease can also cause neurological complications (reportedly in up to 15% of patients). The most common of these are seizures, stroke, myopathy, peripheral neuropathy, headache and depression. Crohn’s patients often also have issues with small bowel bacterial overgrowth syndrome, which has similar symptoms.

In the oral cavity crohn’s patients may suffer from Cheilitis granulomatosa and other forms of orofacial Granulomatosis, Pyostomatitis vegetans, recurrent Aphthous stomatitis, geographic tongue and migratory Stomatitis in higher prevalence than the general population.

COMPLICATIONS
Crohn’s disease can lead to several mechanical complications within the intestines, including obstruction, fistulae, and abscesses. Obstruction typically occurs from strictures or adhesions that narrow the lumen, blocking the passage of the intestinal contents. Fistulae can develop between two loops of bowel, between the bowel and bladder, between the bowel and vagina, and between the bowel and skin. Abscesses are walled off collections of infection, which can occur in the abdomen or in the perianal area in Crohn’s disease sufferers.

Crohn’s disease also increases the risk of cancer in the area of inflammation. Individuals with Crohn’s disease involving the small bowel are at higher risk for small intestinal cancer. Similarly, people with Crohn’s colitis have a relative risk of 5.6 for developing colon cancer.
Individuals with Crohn’s disease are at risk of malnutrition for many reasons, including decreased food intake and malabsorption. The risk increases following resection of the small bowel. Such individuals may require oral supplements to increase their caloric intake, or in severe cases, total parenteral nutrition (TPN).

Crohn’s disease can cause significant complications, including bowel obstruction, abscesses, free perforation and hemorrhage.
Crohn’s disease can be problematic during pregnancy, and some medications can cause adverse outcomes for the fetus or mother. In some cases, remission can occur during pregnancy. Certain medications can also impact sperm count or may otherwise adversely affect a man’s ability to conceive.

CAUSES
Crohn’s disease seems to be caused by a combination of environmental factors and genetic predisposition. Researchers believe that in Crohn’s disease the immune system attacks bacteria, foods, and other substances that are actually harmless or beneficial. During this process, white blood cells accumulate in the lining of the intestines, producing chronic inflammation, which leads to ulcers, or sores, and injury to the intestines.

Researchers have found that high levels of a protein produced by the immune system, called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), are present in people with Crohn’s disease. However, researchers do not know whether increased levels of TNF and abnormal functioning of the immune system are causes or results of Crohn’s disease. Research shows that the inflammation seen in the GI tract of people with Crohn’s disease involves several factors: the genes the person has inherited, the person’s immune system, and the environment.
The increased incidence of Crohn’s in the industrialized world indicates an environmental component. Crohn’s is associated with an increased ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Smoking increases the risk of the return of active disease (flares). The introduction of hormonal contraception in the United States in the 1960s is associated with a dramatic increase in incidence, and one hypothesis is that these drugs work on the digestive system in ways similar to smoking. Emotional stress is likely to exacerbate Crohn’s.

DIAGNOSIS
The diagnosis of Crohn’s disease is suspected in patients with fever, abdominal pain and tenderness, diarrhea with or without bleeding, and anal diseases. Crohn’s disease can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are nonspecific.
 
AYURVEDIC TREATMENT
Diet: Do not eat any nuts or hard grains. Eat soft foods. Avoid spicy foods, multi-grain breads, coffee, sour foods and white sugar.
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You can find these treatments here, https://www.curanderahealing.com/store/p294/Crohn%27s_Disease.html

FIRST TREATMENT: DIET AND
Shatavari: 4 parts: Demulcent with strong anti-microbial properties
2 parts: Turmeric: anti-microbial + anti-inflammatory (do NOT take the drug curcumin instead) Drink your turmeric as Golden Milk
2 parts: Licorice: Demulcent
1 part: cinnamon: dipanas
 This formula should be taken throughout the fasting period in the amounts of 1/4tsp two to three times a day and can continue to be taken for one to two months. 
 As disturbances to the gut begin to clear the patient will benefit from a formula to heal ulceration throughout the mahavaha srota. Note: all formulas containing comfrey should be used for only a limited period of time due to its’ harmful effect on the liver. For long term use, slippery elm can be supplemented for comfrey. The following formula can be used in mending ulceration and bleeding from colon, to intestine and muscular layer:
SECOND TREATMENT (this will vary according to the constitution of the client).
Chief Herb: 4 parts: aloe vera: vulnerary/hemostat     
Supporting Herb: 2 parts: Comfrey: vulnerary/hemostat
Assisting Herb: 2 parts: ashwagandha: Muscular tonic
Carrier Herb: 1 part: peppermint: Dipanas
This formula can be in medicated ghee in the amount of 1/4 tsp 2 or 3 times a day.
 
ADDITIONAL TREATMENT
Suggested oils to reduce vata include: castor oil, sesame oil and almond oil. Nervine sedatives and tonics such as Ashwaganda and shankhapushpi should be added to the chosen oil. These oils sound be used for full abyanga. Abyanga targets both secondary symptoms affecting the skin and the manovaha srota. When appetite has increased, light, easily digestible meals, such as vegetable soup with well cooked rice with medicated ghee are recommended.

EMOTIONAL HEALTH
Crohn’s disease indicates a sensitivity towards stress and anxiety, so Ayurvedic treatments targeting vata and pitta in the digestive tract are suggested for treatment. Certain psychological tendencies experienced by patients perpetuate the autoimmune condition. These psychological tendencies were expressed in Ayurveda in  Astanga Hrydayam and Caraka Samhita. It was said that when disease of this sort is caused when grief (sojoka and bhayaja atisara) is not expressed so that it progresses into Grahani (cancer). This is seen both in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, hence why Ayurveda conjoins them in both pathology and treatment. 
 
Ayurveda places a lot of emphasis of the care of the digestive system. Ayurvedic concepts particularly focus on the significance of healthy digestive system with regard to the overall balanced functioning and healthiness of the human body and mind. Healthy digestion ensures that the nutrients taken in through food are able to produce healthy tissues (Saptha Dhathus). When digestion is weak, the tissues of your body – including muscle, blood, bone and nerves – become weak and susceptible to disease.

As per Ayurveda, contributing causes of cancer are poor appetite and poor digestion, irregular, improper or incompatible diet habits and junk food. Non-following of the healthy diet habits (Pathya) in certain digestive disorders, especially the conditions of post diarrhea and irritable bowels, are also one of the important causes of this disease. People who have celiac syndrome or are gluten intolerant are especially vulnerable to this.
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Usually results are very good with Ayurvedic line of treatment. Early cases tend to respond quickly than chronic. If patient can stick to all the guidelines as advised for 4 to 6 months great improvement will be seen.  It is best to see your Ayurvedic physician for the treatment of this disease. 
 
 
 
 
 

Using alkaline water or diet has become a widespread trend in the US.  I will explore this concept by describing how pH is measured and tested; the way western traditions define what acid food is; what it means to be acidic; the devices used, the effect of alkaline water use, what creates acidic blood and the perspective of minerals from Ayurveda.
 
HOW YOUR PH IS MEASURED
The acid/alkaline measurement is known as pH. It is described as an exponential scale from 0-14, with 7 being neutral. Anything above 7 is alkaline and anything below 7 is acidic. So that water with a pH of 5 would be 100 times more acidic than water with a pH of 7.
 
HOW THE WESTERN TRADITION MEASURES THE EFFECT OF FOODS
‘Acidic water or food’ is understood in allopathy to be food that has higher quantities of acid-forming minerals such as chlorine, sulphur, nitrogen and phosphorous. ‘Alkaline water or food’, on the other hand, is food that has higher quantities of alkaline-forming minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, manganese and iron.  The test to determine the pH of a food has been this simplistic, and maybe inapt method: It is burned, the ash is dissolved in pH-neutral water and then measured with pH a test meter machine. People do not actually eat food in an ash state so the validity of this standard test seems questionable.
 
IS YOUR BODY ACIDIC?
The reasoning behind drinking alkaline water is the claim that having an acidic body is a cause of disease.However the human physiology cannot be completely acid nor alkaline. The stomach must be acidic to function properly, a woman’s vagina should be slightly acidic in order to keep bacterial infections away. The blood is slightly alkaline at a pH of between 7.35 and 7.45.
 
Diseases such as ketoacidosis or gout are related to increased acidity of the blood. 
In the absence of oxygen, glucose undergoes fermentation to lactic acid. This causes the pH of the cell to drop from between 7.3 to 7.2 down to 7 and later to 6.5 in more advanced stages of cancer. In metastases the pH drops to 6.0 and even 5.7 or lower.
 
When we regularly eat an excess of acid-producing foods, and then release it in the blood, our bodies try to bring our pH into balance by drawing on alkaline nutrients in the body to digest and excrete the acid. So by eating too much acid-forming food we actually will suffer from alkaline-mineral depletion. Excessive acid from the blood is mostly secreted but when it all gets too much, it has to be stored in the body, waiting in line until it can be secreted by the kidneys.  Where is it stored?  In our connective tissue, including our muscles, tendons and ligaments. The collagen fibers of the body are basically acid storage units. If there is too much acid stored in these tissues, inflammation and pain can result leading to conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia.
 
If there is excess acid in the stomach in the form of hydrochloric acid, it is actually stored in the lining of the stomach where it can lead to the formation of stomach ulcers.
 
STRONG  AND WEAK ACIDS
Some acid-forming minerals form weak acids while others form strong acids.  Weak acids like acetic acid in vinegar and the acids in most fruits and vegetables combine with water and are converted into carbonic acid which is broken down into carbon dioxide and excreted through the breath. These foods also contain a balance of alkaline minerals so in the end, although they are considered acidic when they go in, they actually contribute alkaline-minerals to the body.
 
Sulphur, phosphorous and nitrous, on the other hand, form strong acids - sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and nitric acid. In order to be digested and excreted they need to pair up with sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium to form neutral salts (like calcium sulfate) that can be safely excreted via the kidneys. Your body will leech these minerals directly from your bones, if it has to, in order to digest these acidic foods. There are other causes for osteoporosis, but you can see that consuming acidic foods can be one.
 
 
FOODS THAT PRODUCE STRONG ACIDS
The foods that release the most sulphur, phosphorous and nitrous into the body are… high-protein foods, that is, meat - especially beef.
 
There are many studies from around the world showing the more protein a society eats, the higher their rate of osteoporosis.
 
Other strongly acid-forming substances include pharmaceutical drugs, artificial sweeteners, processed food made from refined flour and refined sugar, soft-drinks, coffee, alcohol and processed hard cheeses.
 
ALKALINE MINERALS
The interaction of alkaline minerals with other substances in the body is very complex. For example, when we are in a stressed state, we have a low magnesium to calcium ratio in our cells. When we are relaxed, we have a high magnesium to calcium ratio. So, if our magnesium becomes low it can cause a state of  stress.
Alkaline minerals are required for nerve transmission, muscle contraction (including our heart muscle), maintaining healthy blood pressure, maintaining the normal clotting of blood, regulating enzyme activity and enabling the distribution of oxygen and energy to our cells.  They are also necessary for all of our metabolic functions - from our digestion through to our cellular metabolism. If alkaline minerals become depleted, ill health will most likely follow.
  
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE ACIDIC
The saliva test is not the only way to test for acidity.  These are some symptoms of acidity: low energy; joint pain; muscle pain or cramps; spasming muscles; gastritis or acid indigestion; headaches; excess mucous production; frequent colds, flus, and infections; irritability, stress or anxiety; weak nails, dry hair and dry skin.
 
THE DEVICES
Alkaline water filters and water ionizers both make alkaline water, but they use different methods. Alkaline water filters alkalize water by adding minerals to it. This system works great unless you have hard water, which is already saturated with minerals. Hard water won’t absorb the minerals from the filter very well.
Water ionizers work by ionizing the minerals that are already present in the water. Water ionizers work great with hard water (if you use a pre-filter) but can have a tough time ionizing soft water because it lacks minerals.
To obtain “alkaline ionized water”, also known as “electrolyzed reduced water”, water is put through an electrolysis unit that has a port into which either salt or calcium glycerophosphate can be added. This special water is promoted as having many health benefits. Running a current through the water allows it to be split into an acid and a base, the base being the alkaline water. The alkaline water will have a greater concentration of minerals, which can also include contaminant metals such as arsenic, copper, iron and lead.  It is important that a filter is included in these units to remove these heavy metals.
 Using table salt with purified water creates an alkaline water rich in sodium, which in chemical terms is called sodium hypochlorite, also known as household bleach. The CDC says that chlorine “offers the best mix of low cost, ease of use, safety, and effectiveness in areas where there is enough water to drink and water is not excessively turbid… an amount in the range of 5 to 10 milliliters added to 20 liters of water is sufficient to inactivate the disease-causing organisms.” This is why chlorine is typically added to municipal water supplies. Is it healthy to drink chlorine?
According to the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality, the cancer risk to people who drink chlorinated water is 93 percent higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine. In the 1970s scientists discovered that when chlorine is added to water, it forms Trihalomethanes (THMs), one of which is chloroform. THMs increase the production of free radicals in the body and are highly carcinogenic (cancer causing).
Chlorine and THMS have been linked to various types of cancer, kidney and liver damage, immune system dysfunction, disorders of the nervous system, hardening of the arteries, and birth defects.
Even swimming in water with chlorine is said to have serious effects. Dr. Weil says “New research suggests that children who swim frequently in chlorinated pools may have increased risks of developing allergies or asthma. Among adults exposure to chlorine in swimming pools has been linked with other health problems including bladder and rectal cancer and, possibly, an increased risk for coronary heart disease.”
If calcium glycerophosphate is used, the alkaline water will contain calcium.  The calcium ion may combine with an oxalate molecule, which could ultimately form kidney stones. Water spiked with calcium glycerophosate can cause nausea and constipation.

Another danger of  excessive intake of alkaline water is that it can  cause the stomach acidity to become so alkaline that protein molecules are not sufficiently digested for adequate absorbtion of essential amino acids.
The simple process of electrolysis, used for hundreds of years, is the basis of these devices--that sell for thousands of dollars. I have made my own electrolysis unit out of batteries and alligator clips for about $45.  
ISSUES WITH ALKALINE WATER USE
 It is reductionist rather than holistic. It is only considering one aspect of our food.  But we all know food is comprised of more components than alkaline or acidic minerals.  
Dr. Mercola says “Some people experience an initial "high" when they start drinking alkaline water. This can easily be attributed to detoxification, or the fact that they are just becoming better hydrated. Detoxification is about the only benefit of this type of water, and this benefit is limited to very short term use (no more than a week or two).”  Concentrating alkalizing water is not as effective as reducing foods that cause acidity, or improving the way we breathe.
 
WHAT CREATES ACIDITY?
As an Ayurvedic physician I think it is more important to take into account the main factors that increase the acidity of the body. Those are:
 
Excessive stress and shallow breathing.  The faster and more shallow we breathe, the more acidic our blood will be.
 
Acids that are created by the body internally. Poor digestion or malfunction in the amount of hydrochloric secreted into the stomach will contribute to this. If you're secreting too much acid in your stomach, this will affect the pH of the liquid moving into your duodenum as well. And, if you’re not digesting your alkaline foods properly because your digestion is compromised, they are fermenting in your gut and allowing acid-forming bacteria.
 
Eating processed, fried, stimulating foods, chemicals,
 
 
AYURVEDIC DIET
The Ayurvedic diet is different for every person, according to their constitution and current condition. With these diets you’re recommended to avoid refined, processed foods and drinks. You would in general, be eating foods with a higher mineral content. If you haven’t had the Ayurvedic Determination done here are some suggestions so create a more healthy body and to be and less acidic:
 
1.Eat less meat and more plants. Beef is especially acid-forming
2. Eat less processed food (especially white sugar and flour) and more whole-foods and home-cooked food
3. Avoid hard cheeses
4. Drink less alcohol and coffee. Don’t drink sodas, especially diet sodas
 
 INCLUDE THESE IN YOUR DIET
1.      Eat an abundance fresh organic vegetables and fruit. Pitta constitutions can eat many of these raw. Vata people will benefit from the alkaline-minerals by cooking them.
2.      Drink ginger and other herbal teas – all alkaline.
 
3.      Oil Pulling (with sesame oil) is an ancient Ayurvedic technique that is one of the cheapest and fastest ways to lower acidity. As you swish the oil around your mouth, the enzymes in this oil will pull out toxins and excess acidity in your mouth, freeing up your immune system and curtailing inflammation.
 
4.      (Unless you have cancer) use unrefined sugar such as turbinado, which has a high alkaline mineral content or honey which is also alkaline.  
 
5.      If you use dairy it is better to get raw milk and warm it with cardomon – which makes it a more neutral food. If you have difficulty digesting milk, Ayurveda recommends goat or almond milk as both are slightly alkalizing.
 
6.      Kapha and Pitta constitutions should avoid salt. But for Vata-- sea or rock salt is advised – both are alkaline.
 
7.      Cook with a variety of herbs and spices that have a high content of alkalizing minerals including turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme.  Eat an abundance of seeds, raisins and almonds which are also alkaline.
 
HOW AYURVEDA MEASURES THE EFFECT OF FOODS
Ayurvedic diets are naturally alkaline. Ayurveda has a very in-depth way of looking at food. It sees foods as having three levels of effect on the body:
 
1. RASA - an initial effect through the taste (Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter or Astringent or a combination)
 
2.VIRYA – an overall thermal effect on the body (Heating or Cooling)
 
3.VIPAKA -  a post-digestive taste (Sweet, Sour or Pungent)
 
Many people have poor water quality in the US. This situation has become dramatically worse as large corporations such as Nestle buy up water and water rights, as RoundUp and chloropyrofos and other chemicals and herbicides pollute our ground water. Probably the best water we can obtain is well water. For people living in cities using a carbon-filtered can be helpful, but some municipal water has fluoride or heavy metal contamination.  That would require reverse osmosis filtration to clean up.Water devices that use only a ceramic "candle"  probably have the least harmful effects.  Water quality needs to be assessed on a case by case basis. The more severe the treatment method however, the more active the solvents used become.

Research suggests that the healthiest water is water naturally rich in minerals. The best way to achieve this, if you are using Reverse Osmosis is by making it mineral-enriched using herbal teas and soups, or with the addition of ionic trace minerals.

The Ayurvedic tradition recommends taking Shilajit, and exposing a clear glass jar of water to the rays of the sun and moon over a 24 hour period to help to purify and augment its healing effects.
 

Healing Ourselves and Our World… in the Fall
During fall, the energy of the plant world returns to the Earth. Winter brings a kind of death that people of many cultures bring comfort to by celebrating the abundance of the harvest and connecting with relatives that have passed to the world of Spirit. Often before the fall feasts people would fast. This can be cleansing and bring balance. 

Holidays
Some of these feasts include; Thanksgiving in America; Jewish people celebrate Rosh Hashana; the Sikhs—Vaisakhi; in Asia Mid-Autumn festival is on a full moon; Lammas, in the pagan tradition is on the fall equinox.
We recognize a veil--as tenuous as our breath, between this world and the next, through the Day of the Dead, observed in most Spanish speaking countries. Through this tradition the blessings of our ancestors are acknowledged. Another ancient ritual of paying respect to ancestors, friends and pets who have died—is Samhain. 
 
Anti-Holidays?
Though some holidays (abbreviated from holy days) bring us balance, reconnect us with family, community and help us understand the cycles of Nature, other celebrations seem to encourage violence and oppression. The two fall holidays I think of in this category would be Halloween and Columbus Day.
There is a wave of millions of people in the United States who have realized that celebrating the life of the self-admitted rapist, slave trader and genocidal murderer, Christopher Columbus, does not demonstrate good ethics. What’s more; Columbus never set foot on our continent. The torture, pillage and murder he carried out was in the Caribbean, particularly the islands of Juana (Cuba) and Hispaniola (Santo Domingo), before returning to Spain. Over the course of three more voyages, he visited the Greater and Lesser Antilles, as well as the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and Central America claiming all of this already inhabited land, for the Crown of Castile.
The Los Angeles City Council voted in August of 2017 to officially mark the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day. The day will remain a paid holiday for city employees, the Los Angeles Times reported. Wisconsin, back in 2007, instituted Indigenous People’s Day, doing away with Columbus Day entirely. In 1992, Berkeley, California, decided to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day instead of Columbus Day. In South Dakota, the entire state twenty-seven years ago, renamed Columbus Day as Native American Day. Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, and Vermont do not recognize Columbus Day at all.
Columbus Day is a relatively new holiday passed into law in some states in 1937. In Maryland, Columbus Day didn’t become a national holiday until 1971. Up until that time, the enslavement and rape of a specific cultural group was not considered to be cause for a holiday. Columbus’ voyages of ineptitude and poor navigation weren’t officially recognized until 1937, nor did anyone think to celebrate his barbaric, inhumane acts until then.
 
 
The First Witch
Hypatia was a Greek philosopher in ancient Egypt. As the head of the Platonist school at Alexandria, she taught philosophy and astronomy. Known also as a great inventor, she is given credit for the astrolabe and the hydrometer. She wrote The Astronomical Cannon and made significant contributions to the understanding of geometry. Her works were lost with many others in the devastating fire of the library of Alexandria.

In the year 415 AD, a mob of Christian zealots led by Peter the Lector attacked her as she left the school. They dragged her from her carriage and into a church, where they stripped her then beat her to death with roofing tiles. They then tore her body apart and burned it. This ferocious act is said to have been planned by the Christian Patriarch, Cyril, who attributed the great respect Hypatia inspired, to witchcraft. He also blamed her for tensions between the Church and state that actually arose from Cyril's own harshness towards heretics and Jews.
 
Sometime after this mob violence against an educated and powerful woman, Pope Gregory IX established the Inquisitional Courts. Pope Innocent IV in 1252 authorized the use of torture during inquisitional trials. Pope Clement IV reaffirmed the use of torture. Christian theologians started to write articles and books which "proved" the existence of witches.  Widespread witch hunts began in 1450 in many western European countries. The Catholic Church said that pagans who worshiped Goddesses were evil witches who kidnapped babies, killed and ate their victims, sold their soul to Satan, were in league with demons, flew through the air, met in the middle of the night, caused male impotence and infertility, caused male genitals to disappear, etc. Historians have speculated that this religiously inspired genocide was motivated by a desire by the Church to attain a complete religious monopoly.

Today the fear of powerful women seems to continue as one aspect of Halloween. I am reminded each fall of how the stereotypes of the witch are reinforced through this holiday and of how our society condones the continuing theft of land and murder of Native peoples by celebrating the Indian killer—Christopher Columbus.

Instead of continuing with festivals that engender fear or aggression, we can heal our society and ourselves by choosing to honor people and celebrations that manifest respect to all people. 
Athena Wolf is the founder of the Escuela de Curanderismo and practices Ayurveda in Mimbres. You can contact her at info@curanderahealing.com
 
 
These images were made at the time of the Conquest by a European artist named Theodor de Bry. The images were drawn from descriptions of the "Conquest" given by Spanish Priests.
 
 

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a slow-growing cancer which begins in lymphocytes in the bone marrow and moves into the blood. It can also spread to lymph nodes, liver and spleen. CLL is the most common type of leukemia in adults. This year, an estimated 20,110 people in the United States will be diagnosed with CLL. 
Signs and symptoms

• Painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, stomach or groin.
• Fatigue
• Pain or fullness below the ribs
• Fever and infection
• Weight loss for no known reason

 Ayurvedic Suggestions
Diet is the first and most important aspect of healing. Avoid heavy, greasy, sticky foods like yogurt, banana, cheese, sweets and milk products, packaged food, noodles, pasta, foods with preservatives. Canned food is not good to eat either in this condition. Ayurveda says leukemia can be caused from these lifestyle choices; by intake of food  that is sour, salty, too hot, or unsuitable for one’s constitution. Excessive use of oil, sleeping in the daytime, exercise and sexual intercourse during the digestion of food, suppression of natural urges, anxiety, fear, anger and grief.
It is helpful to eat warm foods like vegetable soup made from fresh green leafy vegetables. Stewed fruit and some grains are recommended.
 
These are some of the plant medicines that may be used.
 
HABA BARAKA
​For thousands of years this formula using black seed has been used for auto-immune disorders. It is considered a healthy alternative to cortisone based therapy.
SHILAJIT
The Ayurvedic remedy, Shilajit, has been used for its strengthening effects on libido. Ancient physicians used it for improving vigor and stamina. It contains fulvic acid and minerals.
GUGGUL
Guggul has highly potent rejuvenating properties. It rejuvenates cells and helps to protect the heart from atherosclerosis. It can prevent the hardening of arteries.
CURCUMA LONGA (CURCUMIN)
Owing to its rich medicinal properties, Curcumin is a widely used herb in case of cancer. Anti-oxidants present in the herb reduce the free- radicals from the body thereby improving the health and immunity. Its anti- inflammatory properties make it a strong herb for various allergies, infections and inflammations.
ASHWAGANDHA
Ashwagandha balances both nervous system and musculoskeletal system. It is helpful with fatigue and increases digestive heat in chronic conditions. Research from the College of Pharmacy at University of Hawaii performed assays that found that Ashwagandha inhibited cancer-related cytokines. Researchers from Louisiana State University found that Ashwagandha inhibited cancer tumor growth.
GUDUCHI improves immunity in a natural way. Calcium deficiency in the body can be effectively managed with this herb. It is nature’s best herb to maintain homeostasis in the body.
PUNARNAVA increases the blood flow to the kidney’s. It has astringent, bitter, anti-inflammatory and carminative properties. This plant has properties that clear toxins from the blood and increase red blood cells in the body.
AMALAKI
This berry is a natural antioxidant that removes free radicals from the body and helps in regeneration of cells. It helps in maintaining proper functioning of the liver. It aids digestion by soothing hyperacidity. It helps to keep the intestine clean and also controls blood sugar.
HARITAKI
Haritaki is used to help correct red blood cell deficiency due to anemia.
Bibitaki  helps in purifying blood, thinning of blood, and removing toxins. It is used in cases of low hemoglobin.
KALMEGH
Kalmegh contains a rare plant chemical called andrographolide, which has been found to boost cancer-fighting cells called cytotoxic T lymphocytes. These lymphocytes circulate in your blood stream and attack any cancerous cells that they encounter. Kalmegh increases the amount of other immune-protective chemicals, such as interleukin-2 and gamma-interferon, which help shield your organs against infection and cancer (Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2007;29(1):81-93).
 
Eating the diet and plant medicines that will bring your body back into balance is a gentle and usually gradual way to achieve health.
 

​Most of the health information I share with others comes from my training in Ayurveda, in curanderismo, listening to the plant people, or from western research. Yet I have recently shared my observation that it seems people are dying in the US from Mad Cow disease.

I became interested in this issue many years ago while working with USDA Soil and Conservation, county officials and a group of ranchers and farmers. Our monthly meetings revealed a surprisingly stubborn refusal by ranchers to get cattle tested for this fatal disease. Instead, they demanded that the US govt. punish those countries who would not buy US beef. Which they did. This is why today, many musical instruments, like harmonicas from Germany are very expensive.

Looking into the issue a little further I found some horrifying facts about the cattle industry in this country. As a long-time journalist I began to write about these. I interviewed the head of the Cattlemen’s Association at the Roundhouse in SF (she was there to lobby our legislators). I read the trade magazines. One memorable article expressed great enthusiasm for effecting weight gain in cattle by feeding them cement, another recommended the use of thalidomide for cattle.
​
Inconsistent Reporting
The CDC and US govt agencies report that there have been only four cases of Mad Cow in the US. Eating an animal with Mad Cow has been linked to a fatal brain disease in humans called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.  Because the disease is usually found in older cattle and concentrates in certain areas of the body, banned materials included brains, spinal cords and other neural tissue from animals older than 30 months, along with the tonsils and small intestines of all cattle.

The government and industry rely on this ban as a safety linchpin: If potentially infectious items are removed from the food supply, they insist, all meat should be safe.  A panel of international experts convened in 2001 stressed removal of this risk material. It suggested more stringent rules -- removal of these parts from any animal over 12 months -- but said the regulations were "a reasonable temporary compromise."

“SRMs are high-risk tissues that pose the greatest risk of containing the agent associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (also known as BSE or "mad cow disease"). Some examples are the brain, skull, eyes, trigeminal ganglia, spinal cord, vertebral column, and dorsal root ganglia of cattle 30 months of age and older; the tonsils of all cattle; and the distal ileum of all cattle.”  https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/production-and-inspection/slaughter-inspection-101/slaughter-inspection-101
​
Yet the union representing federal meat inspectors told the USDA that inspectors reported finding older animals on slaughter lines that hadn't been marked for special processing.

Cases of Mad Cow Disease occur in the U.S. each year, yet regulators only test 40,000 of the 35 million cattle slaughtered annually. In Europe, all older cattle are tested for Mad Cow Disease, and in Japan every cow slaughtered for human consumption is tested.
 
The USDA is cutting back on federal meat inspectors, allowing slaughterhouses to self-police, and already questions about the program are surfacing. The USDA recalled  8.7 million pounds of beef products processed at Rancho Feeding Corp. which included Nestle's Philly Steak and Cheese and Croissant Crust Philly Steak and Cheese Hot Pockets, Walmart Fatburgers, Kroger Ground Beef Mini Sliders and other well-known brands.

The reason for the gigantic recall, says USDA, is that the slaughterhouse  "processed diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection." The multi-state recall, applying to all meat produced over a year at the facility, caused Rancho Feeding Corp to close.

The USDA cost-cutting, self-regulation program, called HIMP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point-Based Inspection Models Project) will eliminate 800 federal meat inspectors and is already in operation at about 25 chicken and turkey plants. It likely played a role in the Rancho Feeding Corp. recall said Stan Painter, president of the National Joint Council of Food Inspection Locals, which represents 6,000 inspectors nationwide. "In many places, managers and veterinarians are being asked to help with inspections," because of a shortage of federal inspectors, he said.

How Is Mad Cow Disease Transmitted?
Prions -- the infectious, deformed proteins that cause chronic wasting disease in deer -- can be taken up by plants such as alfalfa, corn and tomatoes, according to new research from the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison.

The research further demonstrated that stems and leaves from tainted plants were infectious when injected into laboratory mice.

The findings are significant, according to the researchers and other experts, because they reveal a previously unknown potential route of exposure to prions for a Wisconsin deer herd in which the fatal brain illness continues to spread.   Christopher Johnson, who conducted the study, wrote in the abstract: "Our results suggest that prions are taken up by plants and that contaminated plants may represent a previously unrecognized risk of human, domestic species and wildlife exposure to CWD."  
 
Although the fact that Mad Cow disease causes variant CJD had already been strongly established, researchers at the University College of London nevertheless created transgenic mice complete with "humanized" brains genetically engineered with human genes to try to prove the link once and for all. When the researchers injected one strain of the "humanized" mice with infected cow brains, they came down with the same brain damage seen in human variant CJD. To the extent that animal experiments can simulate human results, their shocking conclusion was that eating infected meat might be responsible for some cases of sporadic CJD in addition to the expected variant CJD. The researchers concluded that "it is therefore possible that some patients with [what looks like]... sporadic CJD may have a disease arising from BSE exposure." Laura Manuelidis, section chief of surgery in the neuropathology department at Yale University comments, "Now people are beginning to realize that because something looks like sporadic CJD they can't necessarily conclude that it's not linked to Mad Cow disease
“This is not the first time meat was linked to sporadic CJD. In 2001, a team of French researchers found, to their complete surprise, a strain of scrapie--"mad sheep" disease--that caused the same brain damage in mice as sporadic CJD. ‘This means we cannot rule out that at least some sporadic CJD may be caused by some strains of scrapie,’ says team member Jean-Philippe Deslys of the French Atomic Energy Commission's medical research laboratory.

“Pork is also a potential source of infection. Cattle remains are still boiled down and legally fed to pigs (as well as chickens) in this country. The FDA allows this exemption because no "naturally occurring" porcine (pig) spongiform encephalopathy has ever been found. But American farmers typically kill pigs at just five months of age, long before the disease is expected to show symptoms. And, because pigs are packed so tightly together, it would be difficult to spot neurological conditions like spongiform encephalopathies, whose most obvious symptoms are movement and gait disturbances. We do know, however, that pigs are susceptible to the disease--laboratory experiments show that pigs can indeed be infected by Mad Cow brains--and hundreds of thousands of downer pigs, too sick or crippled by injury to even walk, arrive at U.S. slaughterhouses every year.”

Sporadic CJD has also been associated with weekly beef consumption,[29] as well as the consumption of roast lamb,veal, venison, brains in general, and, in North America, seafood.[32,33] The development of CJD has also, surprisingly, been significantly linked to exposure to animal products in fertilizer, sport fishing and deer hunting in the U.S., and frequent exposure to leather products.
The recent exclusion of most cow brains, eyes, spinal cords, and intestines from the human food supply may make beef safer, but where are those tissues going? These potentially infectious tissues continue to go into animal feed for chickens, other poultry, pigs, and pets (as well as being rendered into products like tallow for use in cosmetics, the safety of which is currently under review). Until the federal government stops the feeding of slaughterhouse waste, manure, and blood to all farm animals, the safety of meat in America cannot be guaranteed.

Cases of CJD in the US
We don't know exactly what's happening to the rate of CJD in this country, in part because CJD is not an officially notifiable illness. Currently only a few states have such a requirement. Though the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does not actively monitor the disease on a national level, they continue to insist that there have been only four cases of CJD in the US. The National Institute of Health reports that “During 1979 through 2006, an estimated 6,917 deaths with CJD as a cause of death were reported in the United States, an annual average of approximately 247 deaths” A number of U.S. CJD clusters have already been found. In the largest known U.S. outbreak of sporadic cases to date, five times the expected rate was found to be associated with cheese consumption in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. A striking increase in CJD was also reported in Florida and New York (Nassau County) with anecdotal reports of clusters of deaths in Oregon and New Jersey.

Over the last 20 years the rates of Alzheimer's disease in the United States have skyrocketed. According to the CDC, Alzheimer's Disease is now the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, afflicting an estimated 4 million Americans. Twenty percent or more of people clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, though, are found at autopsy not to have had Alzheimer's at all. A number of autopsy studies have shown that a few percent of Alzheimer's deaths may in fact be CJD. Given the new research showing that infected beef may be responsible for some sporadic CJD, thousands of Americans may already be dying because of Mad Cow disease every year. An informal survey of neuropathologists registered a suspicion that CJD accounts for 2-12% of all dementias in general. Two autopsy studies showed a CJD rate among dementia deaths of about 3%.A third study, at the University of Pennsylvania, showed that 5% of patients diagnosed with dementia had CJD. Although only a few hundred cases of sporadic CJD are officially reported in the U.S. annually, hundreds of thousands of Americans die with dementia every year. Thousands of these deaths may actually be from CJD caused by eating infected meat.

Ignorance is Not Always Blissful
Most Americans do not seem to keep up with policy changes USDA makes, how that affects their food, or with current research.

The first myth: U.S. beef is safe because brain and spinal cord tissue (which are said to harbor mad cow) are removed before processing.

The claim is odd to anyone who has ever seen a T-bone steak, which includes a section of the spinal cord that can easily contaminate meat during butchering. U.S. Department of Agriculture reports reveal that as much as 35% of beef, hot dogs and sausage samples taken from advanced meat and bone separation machinery are contaminated with ''unacceptable nervous tissues'' that may harbor the contaminants that cause Mad Cow Disease. In addition, concussions created in animals by the use of stunning devices currently used to kill them can force brain tissue into the bloodstream. These practices have been eliminated in the European Union, but continue in the United States.

The second myth: U.S. beef is safe because 20,000 cattle are inspected each year.
The problem is that this represents only a tiny portion of the 100,000 to 1,000,000 annual "downer" cattle. Too sick to stand up, such a cow is "down." Yet, under the Clinton/Gore administration and continued under Bush/Cheney, meat inspectors across the country have been laid off. In Europe, just the opposite has occurred; there, cattle are tested for BSE at a rate nearly 2,000 times greater than in the U.S.

The third myth: U.S. beef is safe because the U.S. halted feeding rendered meat to cows.
Actually, the Clinton/Gore administration allowed Congressional negotiating committees from industrial cattle-raising areas to overturn attempts to ban the rendering of all animal parts into feed. It is consequently still legal to manufacture animal feed from ground-up cattle, potentially contaminated deer and elk, and feed it to pigs and chickens; the industry then grinds up these animals, along with "chicken litter," blood, and offal, and feeds the mixture to cattle.

According to St. Louis Green Party organizer Don Fitz, the U.S. cattle industry would prefer that these secrets not reach the light of day lest consumers, in disgust, refuse to purchase beef. "The most shocking practice," Fitz reports, "is that the industry suckles calves with blood rather than milk. Many dairies separate calves from their mothers and wean them on the brownish 'milk replacer' made from cattle blood protein. At least 15 published studies show mad cow disease can be transmitted through blood."

There are currently more than 250 recognized cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in the U.S. It is also likely that many Alzheimers patients have been misdiagnosed, due to that disease's similarity to CJD.

In 2001 two patients died at a Colorado hospital this year from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and there is concern that other patients may also be at risk, a hospital spokeswoman said Friday. The patients, both over 60, died in January and February at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital
Two patients with forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, one of which was contracted from eating infected beef, have been treated at a San Francisco hospital with an obsolete malaria drug that doctors hope will alleviate the fatal brain malady. 

“Health officials have confirmed that a patient who underwent neurosurgery at a New Hampshire hospital in 2013 had Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease.

The death, and suspicions that the patient may have had the devastating brain ailment, prompted authorities in two states to warn that as many as 13 patients may have been exposed to surgical equipment used during the patient's surgery, thus to the same disease.

The now-deceased patient had undergone neurosurgery at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester. The patient was later suspected of having sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare, rapidly progressing and always-fatal degenerative brain disease.

But by the time this diagnosis was suspected, equipment used in the patient's surgery had been used several other operations. This raised the possibility that the equipment might have been contaminated -- especially since normal sterilization procedures are not enough to get rid of the disease proteins, known as prions, tied to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease -- thus potentially exposing the other patients to infection.” http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/20/health/creutzfeldt-jakob-brain-disease/index.html

October 2001, 34-year-old Washington State native Peter Putnam started losing his mind. One month he was delivering a keynote business address, the next he couldn't form a complete sentence. Once athletic, soon he couldn't walk. Then he couldn't eat. After a brain biopsy showed it was Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, his doctor could no longer offer any hope. "Just take him home and love him," the doctor counseled his family.
 

Curanderismo is a healing tradition that has been in existence in the Americas for centuries. It is also known as Mexican traditional medicine, or "medicina del campo." Curanderismo (coo-RAHN-deh-REES-moh) is from the Spanish word, curar, - “to heal.” The New Mexico State legislature has recognized the value of curanderismo for New Mexicans and made it legal to practice in our state. It is a part of the beautiful Mexican culture that we have benefitted from. Those who practice curanderismo are known as curanderas or curanderos.
 


















 
The Philosophy of the Curandera
We are of the same Body as other people, animals, fish, plants, stone and minerals, the Earth, and all life in the Universe. This body is a manifestation of Spirit. Illness occurs when one does not live in balance with all these manifestations of God. The curandera sees illness in this framework and has the knowledge to guide the client back to balance. Balance can be achieved with help from God, by releasing old wounds, eliminating curses or entities, draining heavy energy from a person, with the help of plant medicine and by the client making restitution and changes.
 
History
The imprint of several cultures can be found on curanderismo today, and the curandera/o also adds her own training and passes it on to others. Instead of telling you the usual story of how the Spanish, Catholic or Arabic have impacted this Mayan healing system, I think it is more important to understand why these influences are apparent. 
Today, if you look up “curanderismo” on the internet you will still see the belief expressed that it is “rooted in the teachings of the Bible. They have been combined with folk wisdom to produce the beliefs around illness and healing." This is an odd claim after those who perpetrated the Inquisition killed thousands of herbalists as witches. 
From the Church’s own accounts of their oppression of indigenous healers we can see why it was necessary for curanderas to hide their culture to avoid punishment from Spanish authorities. A scientist from the Archaeological Institute of America reports that, “Despite Catholic trappings, the rites I witnessed in 1996 were rooted deep in antiquity. In recent years, archaeologists and anthropologists have opened a dialog with those who practice the old ways, and are coming to realize just how much Precolumbian ritual has survived. Considering that 500 years have elapsed since the Spanish Conquest, says Harvard University ethnologist Evon Z. Vogt, I am impressed with the enduring nature of Classic Maya religious concepts and beliefs." He describes an egg limpia taking place in a Catholic church with John the Baptist standing in for Chac, the Mayan Lord of Water.
One example the indigenous culture accepting a disguise to continue their cosmology, is the Virgin of Guadalupe. The Virgin appeared to a native Nahua man named Juan Diego in December 1531 on Tepeyac Hill, north of Mexico City. This vision occurred at the exact site of the ancient shrine dedicated to Tonantzin, the Mayan Earth Goddess. Tonantzin means “Our Sacred Mother” in the Nahuatl language. Indigenous people continue to honor her with the new Christian name.

As the Maya were more adaptable to foreign cultures than the European conquerors were of the Mayan cosmology we find that the Maya simply incorporated many Christian beliefs into their own.

Some anthropologists (including Alberto Villoldo) think that curanderismo goes even further back—to the Indus valley in India. The Indus valley gave birth to the powerful healing techniques of Ayurveda, to which curandersimo has many similarities, in treatment and in language.  There exists to this day a tribe of people known as the Naga-Maya. This ancient culture conveys the memory of half of their community leaving the Indian subcontinent thousands of years ago.  Perhaps to settle in Mexico? Ancient Sanskrit stone carvings have been found in Yucatan, Mexico.
 
So interaction with other cultures thousands of years ago is possible. Another reason there are similarities between curanderismo, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, has to do with what it means to be human. One of my teachers used to say that we are luminous beings making a journey through the stars. Those having an ability to see the luminous body of each human are able to observe the vortices known as chakras and the power points that also feed the physical body. This is a universal knowledge which anyone, of any culture can access.

 The Practice of Curanderismo
Curanderas only do healing work with the person who requests healing, or that person’s small children. Trying to force change on someone who has not given their permission is not curanderismo—it’s sorcery. Even if that person is an adult child of the client requesting help, an ethical curandera will not work on anyone without their permission. Traditionally the curandera has a commitment not only to her community but to the Earth and all of her children; the plant people, the four-leggeds, the stone people, those who fly and those who crawl.
 
Ancient cultures understood that we live in a delicate balance with Nature.  Illness occurs when we are not in tune with our own nature and Spirit.  Curanderismo helps bring people out of a diseased state and back into harmony.
 
There are many different types of curanderos. "Yerberos" are primarily herbalists. "Hueseros” work to heal bones. “Sobaderos" are muscle therapists. "Parteras" are midwives. "Oracionistas" work with the power of prayer. Although many curanderos do have a specialty, most practice a couple of these techniques. For example in my practice I am an oracionista and also a yerbera. Using limpia (energy cleansing), diet, prayer and herbs one can one find resolution to many illnesses.
 
These are some traditional words used to describe ailments. Empacho refers to an intestinal blockage and is believed to be caused by eating spoiled food, eating too much, food getting stuck in the stomach or other causes. Mal de Ojo has been referred to as the ‘evil eye’. This illness is believed to mainly affect babies and is felt to be a result of adults paying too much attention to a child. Envidia is translated as an illness caused by envy. Like mal de ojo, the bad intent must be neutralized by physically touching the person who is envious or envied. Susto, sometimes called PTSD, can be caused by our reaction to traumatic events.  Curanderas may also help to remove curses and to clear houses of entities. Bilis, an illness brought about by excessive and prolonged anger and fear. When someone is in this condition, it is said that excessive bitter bile flows into the person's system, causing him to become tense and irritable, to lose his appetite, and in some cases to suffer migraine headaches.

Besides these traditional descriptions of imbalance, curanderas can treat illnesses people identified in this culture and time such as; kidney and gallstones, heart disease, diabetes, meningitis, MRSA, cancer etc.

Plant Medicine
The Mexican leader Montezuma I, grew thousands of varieties of plants in order to research their medicinal properties. In the sixteenth century the Spanish conquistadors came to Mexico, destroyed the garden and all of the information, as they considered it “blasphemous.” Although the written knowledge was destroyed, the wisdom of the tradition was passed down orally by the native peoples. Just like the use of plants. Anthropologists came up with a theory that matched their culture—that ancient people learned about plants through trial and error. But every indigenous culture has said—the plant told me how to use them.    
From my own experience I know that it is possible to hear the “voices” of the plants. Plant spirits are angelic beings that are willing to give up their lives for the good of others.

A recent study by the National Institute of Health says, “…curanderismo involves a coherent world view of health that has deep historical roots…Just as it would be erroneous to assume that urban Western medicine is rational and scientific in all its aspects, so it is also clear that curandersimo contains many elements based on empirical observation and shares certain scientific concepts and procedures with Western medical practice.”

 
Athena Wolf is the founder of the Escuela de Curanderismo and has a healing practice in the Mimbres. You can make an appointment for a healing consultation at a distance, here 
http://www.curanderahealing.com/healing-work.html 
and find remedios on this page, 
http://www.curanderahealing.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

Asthmatics tend to breathe at a rate two to three times faster than normal. Over-breathing like this actually robs our cells of the oxygen we need, because even though we do take in more oxygen; we breathe out too much carbon dioxide. This causes the CO2 levels to be low so that the hemoglobin that carries oxygen through the blood becomes “sticky” and doesn’t release sufficient oxygen to the cells.

Starved for oxygen from over-breathing, the body takes drastic measures to slow breathing so CO2 can build back up to safe levels. This produces the classic symptoms of an asthma attack: smooth muscles tighten around the airways, the body further constricts them by producing mucus and histamine (which causes swelling) and we’re left gasping for breath. Asthma may be induced by aspirin, pollutants, and may be worsened by alcohol and exercise. Other influences that aggravate it include pollen, dust, animal dander, insects, anger, stress, chemical fumes, cold air and smoke.
The medical response is usually to prescribe the drug Albuterol.

While providing some symptomatic relief, Albuterol mimics the effects of adrenaline on certain cells, and triggers the transport of potassium out of the blood. Consequently, taking albuterol can lower your potassium levels. This may make your muscles weak or cause muscle spasms, and it can also cause an abnormal heart rhythm. Other symptoms of hypokalemia include fatigue, constipation and the breakdown of muscle fibers. It is known to cause hyperthyroid and to actually worsen the symptoms of asthma if taken over years.

As an Ayurvedic physician I provide those with asthma natural therapies and food as medicine that do not have side effects. These include; a diet specific for this imbalance, Arjuna, Chyvanprash, datura and mullein leaves to smoke during an attack, and instructions on exercises to achieve healthy breathing through the nose. You can find these remedies at this link:                          http://www.curanderahealing.com/store/p136/Asthma_Package.html.

Arjuna has been used in Ayurveda for thousands of years to help people heal from asthma. Ingesting it stimulates the circulatory system.  

Chyavanprash is particularly good for the lungs because it nourishes the mucous membranes and helps to keep the respiratory passages clean and clear. For thousands of years it has been used in India for lung problems. Chyavanprash is made from whole herbs and spices into a tasty, sweet jam you can put on bread or crackers.

Datura has also been a part of Indian Ayurvedic medicinal history for centuries. It contains atropine which causes the paralysis of the pulmonary parts of the lung. This eliminates the spasms that are responsible for causing asthma attack. You can see why this would be extremely dangerous for anyone not having an asthma attack. In fact the poisonous properties of Datura have killed or incapacitated many. Yet, in the 18th century a British general stationed in India by the name of Gent, passed along part of the Ayurvedic treatment to a Dr. Sims and it was widely and successfully used in England and America. Proust wrote about the efficacy of smoking Datura and many other asthmatics took up the practice until the fad of ingesting chemicals instead of plant medicine made it seem old-fashioned.

Healing from this imbalance with diet, herbs and breathing exercises takes some effort for the asthmatic,  but with some consistency it can bring a person back into a healthy state without dangerous side effects.
​
Athena Wolf

Peter Bongiorno writes for Psychology Today “anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications are among the most prescribed in the United States - and possibly the most dangerous. According to a report in the 2010 Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, people who use anti-anxiety medication…are almost 40% more likely to die than people who do not use them. Yikes”
​
  “Klonopin is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and seizure disorders. Common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, unsteadiness, depression, loss of orientation, headache, sleep disturbances, problems with thinking or memory, slurred speech, dry mouth, sore gums, runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, and blurred vision. If Klonopin is discontinued abruptly after long term use, it may lead to seizures, tremors, muscle cramping, vomiting, and/or sweating.” (From RX list, the Internet Drug Index). A new study in the American Journal of Public Health found more dramatic side effects than these; the number of deadly overdoses from those drugs quadrupled between 1996 and 2013.
 
Researchers from India have proven in a randomized clinical study using international protocols that an ancient Ayurveda remedy for anxiety outperformed the benzodiazepine drug Clonazepam (Konopin) in relieving anxiety. http://www.realnatural.org/ancient-ayurveda-beats-clonazepam-in-clinical-trial-for-anxiety-disorder/

There are many natural therapies that can help relieve anxiety without causing side effects. Practicing yoga and walking more is helpful for most people. Here is one Ayurvedic remedy you can try at home.  
Natural home remedies
Soak 8-10 almonds in water overnight
Peel off the skin in the morning
Blend 1 tsp of crushed almonds in 1 cup warm milk
Add a pinch of soaked saffron
Add 1 tbsp of honey
Mix well
Drink once a day
 
As an Ayurvedic physician and a curandera I find those with anxiety do well with an Ayurvedic formula to help bring their body chemistry into balance. It includes the following herbs:
Shankhpushpi is a prominent memory improving plant, a psychostimulant and tranquilizer. Research shows it promotes better--memory, sleep and concentration abilities. Shankpushpi increases protein synthesis in the hippocampus region of the brain that can be related to enhancement of memory function.
 
A clinical trial in 2008 of 35 subjects diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder found that Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) significantly reduced anxiety. The researchers concluded: “Therefore, it may be concluded that O. sanctum may be useful in the treatment of General Anxiety Disorder in humans and may be a promising anxiolytic agent in near future.”
 
Another Ayurvedic plant, Bacopa monnieri, is widely used to improve brain function, to reduce anxiety, to treat epilepsy, and as an antioxidant. Modern research has shown the presence of several alkaloids; monnierin, brahmine, bacosides and phytosterols.
       
The ever popular Ashwagandha is a memory enhancing and anti-ageing herb. It is used for many imbalances, but in this context for its calming effect. Ashwagandha promotes growth of dendrites and branching of nerve-like cells suggesting nerve cell-to-cell contact and communication. It has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity.

Susto is described in the folk-healing of Mexico as a "fright sickness" or soul loss. The cause can be any frightening or dangerous experience such as an accident, a fall, witnessing a relative's sudden death, going to war etc. This kind of anxiety is more intense and is synonymous with PTSD. Oral remedies can include teas of orange blossom, brazil wood or marijuana. These are most effective with the limpia, or barrida. This is a technique of energy work that removes the wound from the soul.
 
Combining natural therapies to treat this issue is a viable alternative to drugs. An Ayurvedic formula to combat stress can be found at this site here http://www.curanderahealing.com/store/p107/Stress_Away_Formula.html
 
Athena Wolf is an Ayurvedic physician and curandera practicing in Mimbres. You can contact her with questions at curanderahealing.com 
 
 
 

The National Research Committee concluded this year, that there is no evidence proving Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) foods are a risk to human health.  The Nation, Common Dreams, Food and Water Watch explain this conclusion by the NRC  “More than half of the invited authors of the new NRC study are involved in GMO development or promotion or have ties to the biotechnology industry—some have consulted for or have received research funding from, biotech companies. NRC has not publicly disclosed these conflicts.”
 
There are actually many studies disproving the NRC contention. Here are a couple.
Multiple toxins from GMOs were detected in maternal and fetal blood in a study done in Canada. Monsanto’s Bt toxin was one of the pesticides found according to a study  published in the Journal of Reproductive Toxicology in 2011 .
 
Another study,    
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935100942294  shows that exposure to herbicides during pregnancy induces a variety of abnormalities. This and other research may be why so many believe that it is herbicides causing microcephaly in Columbia and Brazil—not Zika virus.
 
DNA Manipulation
There is now enough evidence that it is considered proof, that in eating GMO food, “DNA fragments carry complete genes that can enter into the human circulation system” by the Public Library of Science, a respected peer-reviewed scientific journal. In other words, eating a meal of genetically modified foods can actually change human DNA as well.
 
Gluten Disorders Affecting 18 Million Americans
The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT), found that GMO foods correlate to five conditions that may either trigger or worsen gluten-related disorders,
·         Intestinal permeability
·         Imbalanced gut bacteria
·         Immune activation and allergic response
·         Impaired digestion
·         Damage to the intestinal wall
 
Why is this? Glyphosate blocks the action of our bodies’ enzymes. People that have been exposed to glyphosate (Roundup) have a drop in amino acid tryptophan levels and are missing the signal of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This has been associated with weight gain, depression and Alzheimer’s disease. 
Livestock Reactions
In November 2012, The Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology published a study that links GMO corn, treated with Monsanto Roundup herbicide, to rat tumors.
 
Published in the journal, Organic Systems. It was found that GMO animal feed can cause severe stomach inflammation and an enlarged uterus in pigs. What does it do to humans?
 
Unaware Americans
GMOs have been banned in 38 countries so far. These include: Germany, France, Denmark, Poland, Scotland, Switzerland, Peru… In America, however, people do not even know if they are consuming a GMO product. We are not allowed to have labels stating this.
 
To this day, Monsanto continues to advertise its products as “environmentally friendly” and claims that neither animals nor humans are affected by GMOs or glyphosate. My husband, who suffers from the typical severe health problems after exposure to Agent Orange in Viet Nam, says the containers of this herbicide (made by Monsanto) said the same thing.                                   
 

 
 

Food as Medicine—For Weight Loss
Americans are not the most obese people in the world. That dubious title goes to the people of Nauru. After the environment of this small country was destroyed by mining operations they were unable to grow any food so imported processed food, high in fat and sugar, now makes up the diet of these islanders.

European Meals
The French eat food high in fat; in Germany and England meat is eaten at every meal; Italians enjoy a diet rich in wine, bread and pasta, yet all four countries have low rates of obesity. American weight gain has accelerated in the past 20 years. Why is it that Europeans don’t have this problem?

One answer may be that American culture focuses more on what to eat with little attention on when and how to eat. The practices of counting calories, reducing fats, increasing proteins, eating less, cutting out carbohydrates and experimenting with every new diet has not resulted in healthy Americans. The National Institute of Health reports that 99 percent of those who go on a diet gain all the weight back in three to five years. 
 
When we compare our eating habits with those of Europeans we find some similarities to the Ayurvedic philosophy of dining. Ayurveda is India’s traditional system of medicine based on living a balanced life in harmony with the changing cycles of nature. In this system it is recognized that there are many factors contributing to a healthful diet. The simplest are to consider what, when and how you eat. There may be other reasons for being overweight of course, such as a weak digestive system, thick bile, low thyroid or dehydration.

Eating With the Seasons    
In Ayurveda it is suggested that our best medicine is food harvested in season. In Europe, and many other countries, people buy foods at local farmers markets, which ensures that these foods are seasonal.
 
In the winter Nature provides us with an antidote to the cold weather — soups, stews, meats, grains and fats. It is the time of year to eat more protein and healthy oils.

In the spring we can eat foods that are low-fat and mucous-reducing such as leafy greens, sprouts, berries, root veggies and grapefruits. These foods are fat-burning and detox foods.

In hot summer months, we can harvest cool fruits and veggies to help keep us from getting overheated and dried out.

To begin the weight loss process, try eating three substantial meals a day without between-meal snacks. This will begin to nudge your ability to make energy last from one meal to the next. In between meals, your body burns fat, which is your stable, non-emergency fuel. If you are stressed, your body sends the signal to store fat and crave sugar — our cultural epidemic.

Before 2:00 pm the digestive process is strongest. So having your most substantial meal in the middle of the day can help afternoon cravings to disappear. As your blood sugar becomes more stable, notice how your hunger level in the evening will become less voracious. You can begin to eat an earlier and lighter supper.

How to eat
Eating while driving, in front of the TV, or on the phone, creates a stressful situation for digesting food. When you are relaxed, the digestive process is more effective. The mind and body are nourished, and you can experience the taste of the food and assimilate the mental, physical and spiritual benefits of a balanced meal. In slimmer countries people sit down for every meal. They relax, dine and enjoy well-prepared food in a relaxed social setting. Try making meal time a sacred event.
 
Herbal Supplements
Ayurveda recommends a couple of formulas to help those that already have an unhealthy amount of weight. This package of Shardunika, Optimum Weight formula and an Ayurvedic Determination of Constitution, can empower you to gradually change your diet and lose weight in a healthy way.  http://www.curanderahealing.com/store/p12/Weight_Loss_Program.html 
 
This herbal formula used to balance the blood sugar should only be used with the supervision of your health practitioner. http://www.curanderahealing.com/store/p12/Weight_Loss_Program.htmlhttp://www.curanderahealing.com/store/p22/Diabetes%2C%C2%A0Ayurvedic_Tradition%C2%A0cert._organic.html
 
Athena Wolf is an Ayurvedic physician practicing in Mimbres. You can contact her with questions at curanderahealing.com.

Food as Medicine—Is Salt Helpful or Not?
The cold and dryness of winter can chill the body and de-stabilize the nervous system of some people. Salt regulates the fluid balance of the body, maintains acid/base level, provides for nerve conduction and blood pressure. In Ayurveda it is understood that salt is more grounding and helpful in the winter than at any other time.  Does this mean salt is always good for us?
 
Salt purchased at the grocery store or on restaurant tables is not just salt. The chemicals added to it can include synthetic sodium aluminosilicate, iodide, sodium bicarbonate, fluoride, anti-caking agents, potassium iodide, aluminum derivatives, white sugar, and monosodium-glutamate. Natural salt is not usually white. Table salt is white because it has been bleached. So where does this salt come from? Much of it is made from the flaky residue of oil drilling. Crude oil is one substancey table salt is refined from.

When this kind of table salt is eaten regularly, the excess sodium outside of cells osmotically pulls out the water with potassium, calcium and magnesium from the cell. This can cause a severe state of cellular dehydration that cannot be slaked by drinking water. In my practice I have seen many people with cancer whose potassium levels are depleted, sometimes by eating too many salty foods.  

Winter is called Vata Season in Ayurveda.  Salt has been a staple in the diet of humans for at least 6000 years. The salt that we seem to be genetically dependent on is raw, unrefined salt. Unrefined salt was a primary delivery food for essential and trace minerals in the body — which play a lead role in almost every bodily function. In Ayurveda there are some formulas, such as the tonic, Chyvanprash, that use salt in this way.

Unrefined mineral salts, such as Celtic Sea Salt, Utah’s Redmond Salt and Pink Himalayan Salt, provide the body with up to 80 essential and trace minerals. Refined white table salt is devoid of these essential minerals and provides only sodium to the body, which can disturb the body’s electrolyte balance.
Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. Electrolytes affect the amount of water in your body, the acidity of your blood (pH), your muscle function, and other important processes. The most common electrolytes are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and sodium.

Sodium concentrates in the fluid around the cells. Potassium concentrates inside of the cell helping it to hold water. There is a delicate balance between the two. I have found that in people with cancer this balance is usually disturbed and there is not enough potassium in the diet.

 People with high blood pressure are usually told to stop eating salt. Using too much table salt causes us to retain waters and other fluids. Chronic imbalances such as diabetes, gout and obesity can be worsened or even partially caused by excessive intake of salt.
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In terms of the three doshas, or constitutional tendencies, salt is best suited to the vata or air-type person (who tends to be cold, dry, thin). Salt will help stimulate the digestive secretions, retain moisture and help ground a person who is too flighty.
Ayurveda warns against the excessive use of any kind of salt as it can “provoke pitta,” which causes too much heat or inflammation in the body, thirst, loose teeth, decreases fertility, impairs the function of sense organs, contributes to premature wrinkles, grey hair and baldness. It can also cause blood and skin disorders, acidity, gout, baldness and other problems. For Kapha-type constitutions too much salt can lead to excessive water retention, bloating and puffiness and more serious problems.
 
Therefore, unrefined salt in moderation is good for Vata people, Pitta people need very little salt and Kapha people should eat no salt. You can find out what your constitution is from any Ayurvedic physician or online from the Market page of my website “Determination of Ayurvedic Constitution.”
 
Here is some salty wisdom for the cold months.
 
“The fact that salt is a powerful emetic as well as a potent laxative should convince the most skeptical that it is not meant to form an important part of the human diet.” 
― John H. Tobe
 
“My love is like a slug. Don’t you go pouring salt on it.” 
― Jarod Kintz
 
“Nobody likes having salt rubbed into their wounds, even if it is the salt of the earth.” 
― Rebecca West
 
“The laboratory evidence that carbohydrate-rich diets can cause the body to retain water and so raise blood pressure, just as salt consumption is supposed to do, dates back well over a century” 
― Gary Taubes, Good Calories, Bad Calories
 
“Like some winter animal, the moon licks the salt of your hand,
Yet still your hair foams violet as a lilac tree
From which a small wood-owl calls.” 
― Johannes Bobrowski
 

Are Vitamins Food or Medicine?

Sometimes people believe that vitamins can make up for an unhealthy diet. Here is a short description of the current processes of creating vitamins to help you decide if vitamins can fulfill that role in your life.

There is an assumption that if a vitamin is labeled “natural”, that it is healthy for you. Actually a product only has to include 10% of natural plant-derived ingredients to be given this designation. The other 90% can be synthetic.  Manufacturers generally don’t like using concentrates or extracts derived from whole food sources because of low nutrient potency and limited shelf life. Nutrients are easily degraded by heat, pH changes, light, and oxygen. Here is some information about how vitamins are made and their effects.

From  http://healthwyze.org/ “The food-based vitamins that are currently available are actually worse than their synthetic counterparts.  Almost all of the food-based vitamins that we recently evaluated were fermented in yeasts and bacteria.  Usually these were genetically engineered yeasts and bacteria to make them toxic enough to accelerate their pathogenic life processes.  This manufacturing is a way to cheat using bacteria and yeasts to break the foods down instead of using chemicals.  In actuality, neither the process nor the end product is natural or food-like.  The biotechnology industry found a way to trick us all into making genetic engineering a part of our "natural" supplementation.  We wrote this report because we have had repeated calls from people who were having allergy problems or sicknesses that increased with increased multi-vitamin usage.  In every case, it was caused by one of the multi-vitamin products that was allegedly food-based, but which was not actually made from foods.  A diet of yeast will, in fact, attack the immune system to make both allergies and illnesses worse.  These so-called "multi-vitamins" are worse than no vitamins at all”.

Fortification of foods with vitamin B-3 has led to intakes much greater than what’s recommended, especially in children who eat processed fortified foods. Higher intake of vitamin B-3 can cause increased appetite and impaired glucose tolerance leading to obesity. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17991653

The Food & Drug Administration has permitted ascorbic acid to be identified as Vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is made with corn syrup—not exactly a health food.  These are the steps to making this chemical:

Steps 1 thru 9: Corn starch is broken down into simple sugar (D-Glucose) by the action of heat and enzymes.

Step 10 (Hydrogenation): D-Glucose is converted into D-Sorbitol.

Step 11 (Fermentation): D-Sorbitol is converted into L-Sorbose.

Step 12 (Acetonation): Yes that's right, they use acetone! L-Sorbose is combined with an acid at low temperatures.

Step 13 (Oxidation): The product is then oxidized with a catalyst, acidified, washed and dried forming L-Gluconic Acid.

Step 14 (Hydrolysis): L-Gluconic Acid is treated with hydrochloric acid forming crude ascorbic acid.

Step 15 (Recrystallization): The crude ascorbic acid is filtered, purified and milled into a fine crystalline powder.


This finished product is not really “Vitamin C”, but legally can be called so. 

Conditional scurvy is reported to occur following excessive doses of ascorbic acid over a prolonged period of time. Ascorbic acid side effects more often include oxalate or urate kidney stones, and hyperoxaluria. Migraine headache has been reported with a daily dose of 6 grams. Gastrointestinal side effects have included nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, esophagitis, nausea, and diarrhea. Ascorbic acid, while proven to kill bacteria effectively, is not discriminatory in its anti-microbial abilities and will wipe out good bacteria in the gut. Esophagitis appears to be associated with prolonged or increased contact of ascorbic acid tablets. This information is from Ryan Andrews and Web MD.

The New York Times reported on a study conducted by Dr. Victor Herbert, professor of medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. This study found that rather than reduce free radicals which lead to cell damage, synthetic C supplements actually promoted free radical generation. “Unlike the vitamin C naturally present in foods like fruits and peppers, ascorbic acid is not an antioxidant, it's a redox agent - an antioxidant in some circumstances and a pro-oxidant in others," said Dr. Herbert.

The manufacturing of vitamin D3 starts with 7-dehydrocholesterol (usually from wool oil), which turns into cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) when exposed to ultraviolet light. “Vitamin D is not really a vitamin,” write scientists for the New England Journal of Medicine. For something to be a vitamin, it should provide the body with an essential nutrient that it cannot make on its own, but requires for survival.

Vitamin D has “vitamin like” activity, which initially tricks the body into thinking the host of associated co-hormones is present. Before vitamin D was intensely promoted to the public, it was used to kill rodents. In their report, “The Endocrine System,” the University of Colorado, reminds us, "Ingestion of milligram quantities of vitamin D over periods of weeks or months can be severely toxic to humans and animals. In fact, baits laced with vitamin D are used very effectively as rat poison." This copycat hormone tends to induce calcification, which can lead to heart failure, kidney damage, and more. Evidence suggests that dietary vitamin D may be carried by lipoprotein particles into cells of the artery wall and atherosclerotic plaque, where it may be converted to active form by monocyte-macrophages. This may cause atherosclerotic calcification and cardiovascular risk. http://aspcapro.org/sites/pro/files/n-toxbrief_1201.pdf
This study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition describes the parameters of how toxicity occurs. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/2/582S.full 

 Capsules that enclose vitamin supplements can be derived from plant sources, like seaweeds, or animal sources like gelatin. Animal gelatin is from tallow, animal bone, marrow, or tissue scraps, and may include diseased tissues. The tablet coating methylene chloride is a carcinogen.

A more effective approach to good health might be to eat organic food, high in real “vitamins”; to eat foods right for your individual constitution; and to eat with a sense of gratitude for the work and sacrifice of people, plants and animals that bring the food to us. 


Natural Healing for Herpes Viruses 

The herb Prunella vulgaris has been well-researched in the past two decades, though the results of this research do not seem to be shared with the public. I want to share the results of some of these inquiries with you so that you may understand if this wonderful plant might help you in your lives.  I do sell it on my website, curanderahealing.com on the market page, in a kit and also as a bulk herb.

 The following article summarizes research into its traditional use for herpes viruses including AIDS, lymph problems and lymphoma, skin and wound healing and other research.


Herpes Viruses
            Presenting his findings at the 38th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy meeting in San Diego, California, Dr. Spencer Lee said, “We are certainly interested in the potential of Prunella vulgaris extract to help fight the herpes simplex virus because the substance is nontoxic.”

             From Planta Med. 2006, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of Heidelberg, Germany.  “Aqueous extracts from species of the Lamiaceae family were examined for their antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus.” Extracts from lemon balm, peppermint, prunella vulgaris, rosemary, sage and thyme were screened. The conclusion was that these extracts have anantiviral effect on Herpes simplex virus and can be used for topical therapeutic application against Herpes infections. 

            Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the First Medical University of PLA, Guangdong, China.  “An increasing portion of patients with HIV infection and/or AIDS cannot use currently FDA-approved anti-HIV drugs, including the reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors, due to the adverse effects and the emergence of drug resistance. Thus, it is essential to develop new anti-HIV agents with a target different from the HIV reverse transcriptase and protease… We found that the extracts of two herbs, Prunella vulgaris and Rhizoma cibotte, showed potent inhibitory activity.”

            At the Department of Biology and Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prunella vulgaris cream was assessed for its effect on Herpes Simplex Virus-1 skin lesion in guinea pigs and Herpes Simplex Virus -2 genital infection in mice. Guinea pigs that received the Prunella cream treatment showed a significant reduction in skin lesions. Mice that received the Prunella cream treatment showed a significant reduction in mortality. “In conclusion, the anti- Herpes Simplex Virus compound from Prunella vulgaris has potent activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2. Its mode of action appears to inhibit viral binding and penetration into host cells.” 

          Anti-HIV-1 activity of herbs. Biol Pharm Bull. 1998  The anti-HIV-1 activity of aromatic herbs in Labiatae was evaluated in vitro. Forty five extract from among 51 samples obtained from 46 herb species showed significant inhibitory effects against HIV-1 induced cytopathogenicity in MT-4 cells. In particular, the aqueous extracts of Melissa officinalis, a "grapefruit mint,"cinnamon, Perilla frutescens, Prunella vulgaris, and Satureja montana showed potent anti-HIV-1 activity. The active components in the extract samples were found to be water-soluble substances, not compounds such as essential oils.” This sounds to me like drinking the tea is the best way to get the herb into your body.

           Zhejiang University, Hangzhou China has been studying how the components of the herb are so effective. “It has a wide array of biological effects exhibiting numerous therapeutic potentials. Its anti-microbial effects including anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects are, presently, receiving increasing attention. While its anti-viral effects are attributed mainly to the inhibition of virus replication, the biological mechanisms of its anti-bacterial effects or actions remain unknown… In this study, we have shown that the polysaccharides isolated from P. vulgaris have marked immune stimulatory effects, which may bring about the anti-microbial effects of P. vulgaris.” 

            “Extract of Prunella vulgaris spikes inhibits HIV replication at reverse transcription in vitro and can be absorbed from intestine in vivo (in vivo means within a living cell).” Published in Antiviral Chemistry and Chemotherapy in March of 2000. This indicates that the herpes virus destroying components of Prunella vulgaris will be absorbed and active after drinking the tea.

          A comparison of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 protease inhibition activities by the aqueous and methanol extracts of Chinese medicinal herbs was carried out recently by the Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

            The Department of Biochemistry in the same university as above has conducted experiments with the conclusion that “The results support the view that herbs represent a rich source of anti-HIV compounds.” Though this seems to be widely known among researchers one has to wonder why the information has not been disseminated to the millions of people suffering from Herpes Simplex, chickenpox and AIDS?

Aside: New Drug for Herpes?
            Walgreens online has this to say about the new Herpes drug, Truvada “WARNING: Severe and sometimes fatal lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the blood) and liver problems have occurred with this type of medicine. Truvada is not designed to prevent or reduce specific symptoms.”  

Lymph Problems and Lymphoma
            The Department of Hematology at Tongji Medical College, in Wuhan, China came to the conclusion after experiments that “Prunella vulgaris  can suppress the proliferation of Raji cells (a cultured line of lymphoblastoid cells derived from a Burkitt lymphoma that possesses numerous receptors for certain components which are suitable for use in detection of immune complexes) and may be a new anti-lymphoma drug.”

      At Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey, “Water extracts of Prunella vulgaris and P. laciniata have been investigated for their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities…It was found that both extracts stimulated the proliferation of T-lymphocytes ...without any toxicity to cells.” 

            Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. “This study indicates rosmarinic acid in prunella vulgaris is more effective than Cyclosporin in inhibiting lymphocyte cell-specific kinase… Cyclosporin employed as a control showed less than 30% inhibition at the same concentration.” (Cyclosporin is often used for psoriasis, severe atopic dermatitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, chronic autoimmune urticaria, and in rheumatoid arthritis. Short-term use of Cyclosporin can also cause elevation of the blood pressure, decrease in kidney function, as well as elevation of cholesterol and triglycerides).  


Objectives of Current Research on Prunella Vulgaris
           It would seem that the main focus of medical research into Prunella vulgaris is not how it can be used to heal more people, but analyzing the biochemical components that make it work. Presumably so that the most potent constituents of the herb can be synthesized, patented and sold for huge profits.

            The Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Anatomy, University of Hong Kong is very interested in breaking down how the herb works.  “Prunella vulgaris a popular herbal medicine, has long been associated with anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. We hypothesized that the anti-microbial effects exhibited by the polysaccharides isolated from P. vulgaris encompass both anti-inflammatory and immune stimulatory effects. The results may help our understanding of the molecular mechanism of Prunella Vulgaris.”

            Isolation, purification, and partial characterization of prunellin, an anti-HIV component from aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgaris. Antiviral Res. 1989 Jun-Jul; Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis.  

          The Swiss and the French seem very interested in growing the herb and have cooperated in research to determine the best environment to grow it in. Evidence from a reciprocal transplant experiment.

            Some of the research in other countries involves a fascination with creating “Frankenstein” plants. At Tropical Medicine Institute in Guangzhou, China, scientists are working on the establishment of “stably expressed human RANTES gene (RANTES genes are expressed in more than 100 human diseases) in prunella vulgaris cell clone.” This is done in the hopes that the research “could pave the way to obtain transgenic Prunella vulgaris plants demonstrating specific pharmacological activities.” Of course the plants already have been demonstrated to have pharmacological activities, but in its natural state may be too inexpensive and easily accessible to the general public for the pharmaceutical company that funds the research.