For what seems like months, we've had rain and snow here in the upper Sonoran desert. I think it's actually only been about a week, but when you get used to the brilliant blue daytime sky and the intense sparkle of the stars at night, it seems to add up quickly.
Not that I'm complaining. We're smack-dab in the middle of a 12-year drought according to locals who've been here for much longer than I. All this rain and snow pack in the mountains should prove most beneficial to the plant community in the weeks and months to come. Spring is an even more dramatic even here in the desert, where color seems to spring forth from the barren rocks, covering every nook and cranny with life.
Hooray for spring time in the desert!
Somewhere deep inside the Homeland Security legislation is a little known and even less reported provision that protects a drug company from litigation from their vaccine preservative. In a nutshell, it's a mercury-based compound linked to increased levels of autism in children. After reading this article, I did a quick search on Google. Good gods. Thanks to Michael at ZenBox for the link!
I've posted a commentary to a recent Chinese study comparing a ginseng mixture with Duxil, a pharmaceutical used to treat dementia. While the study itself is interesting, more interesting is Western reaction to the results. (In Ramblings)
OK, faithful readers. It's been a long time since my last rant, and I'm feeling the need to vent again. Well... perhaps vent isn't the proper word to use this time. No, this time I think I'll be quite rational when I point out this particular brand of prejudice that infects Western medicine.
Just a few days ago, the American Stroke Association heard from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine researchers studying the comparative effects of a combination of the Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng) Panax notoginseng (also know as Sanqi), versus Duxil, a prescription medication used in dementia treatments in individuals with Alzheimer's. This study marks the first time the combination of P. ginseng and P. notoginseng have been studied for their effectiveness in treating mild to moderate cases of dementia. However, both herbs have long histories as tonics for the elderly.
Interestingly enough, the study concluded that the herbal combination was significantly more effective than the pharmaceutical.
"The patients in the group taking the ginseng showed a significant increase in their average score on five memory tests, including immediate and delayed story recall, delayed word recall, verbal learning and verbal recognition.Sounds like a win, yes? Well, no. Not here. You see, in the West, our researchers just can't accept the results of this test. Now I realize that one test doesn't mean the findings are gospel and that future results may very well show conflicting evidence. But that's not the issue in this case.Their total memory score was significantly higher than for the group taking Duxil..."
Western researchers have a significant philosophical difference with Eastern researchers in the composition of the tests. You may have heard the term "double-blind" in reference to tests. Simply put, neither the researchers nor the participants know if the subject receives the test material or a placebo until after the trial is over. This is done, ostensibly enough, as to not influence the outcome of the trial period. As such, one half of all research subjects will not receive anything other than a sugar pill in most cases.
This is an abomination of medicine in the eyes of Eastern researchers. They simply cannot understand why one half of the subjects don't get any treatment. As such, they test against known effective substances. For them, it's not a question of "does it work?", but "how well does it work?"
Chinese researchers will often take this a step further, ending trials midway through when one group is obviously improving to a much greater degree than the other. Rather than have people suffer in the name of "science", they truly wish good health to be achieved by all subjects. I suppose you could say they don't treat them like subjects at all, but more like real live human beings.
Now before you jump up and start defending double-blind studies, let me take it to an extreme. Let's say that Black and Decker builds a new hammer. If the company adopted Western scientific principles, they'd need to set up a test where the new hammer was compared against a placebo. "Group A, you'll be pounding a nail into this 2x4 with our new hammer. Group B, just use your fist." I hope they have plenty of pain-killers nearby! OK, sure I glossed over the "blind" part, but you see my meaning.
At what point will Western researchers accept empirical evidence gathered outside of the lab? When will compassion for their patients, the people presenting the illness before them, take center stage? I for one welcome the Eastern research with open arms, and look forward to more studies like this. Of course, we won't see many coming out of this country, as nearly all research is conducted by pharmaceutical companies... and there just isn't any profit in an un-patentable herbal compound.
I found an interesting article over at the NBC affiliate in Rhode Island dealing with the aspects of tea. As usual, I've placed the entire article in the "MORE" section in case it disappears from the news website.
Before we have this discussion, we should agree upon some common language. True "tea" is Camellia sinensis, and encompasses the black and green varieties. It's what Lipton is all about, as well as oolong, gunpowder and all the other tea varieties. Preparation of the plant gives it the flavor characteristics unique to your particular "flavor", but natural and artificial flavors are often added as well.
Chamomile tea isn't really "tea" at all. It's a water infusion of Chamomilla matricaria flowers. Similarly, your peppermint tea probably doesn't have any tea in it either. It's another water infusion, also called a tisane, of Mentha peperita. In fact, most of the calming and relaxing tea blends are completely without tea at all.
But let's face it. "Tisane" and "water infusion" don't naturally roll off the tongue. The simple act of pouring hot water over plant material and enjoying the taste is the essence of tea, with or without the Camillia. So when I talk about taking botanical medicines as "tea" you'll know what I'm talking about.
Move Over Coffee, It's Tea Time
Could Tea Pose Any Dangers?
POSTED: 8:32 a.m. EST February 12, 2003
UPDATED: 11:59 a.m. EST February 12, 2003
Health Check 10 Reporter Barbara Morse reports with so many people drinking tea, might we be brewing trouble too?
There's green, chamomile, there's a tea or tea-like beverage for just about every taste.
Sue Makowski, of Rhode Island Hospital, says, "Well, the black teas, the green teas and the oolong teas are the true teas and they have the powerful antioxidants, the polyphenols that have shown to be very beneficial in the prevention of heart disease and certain types of cancers."
Registered dietitian, Makowski is a tea lover. From the true teas to the beverage teas, she stocks up.
"It's considered that most of the teas that are in most of the stores are very safe if you follow directions, but sometimes you can go to some of the herbal stores and get very concentrated forms of different herbs and you need to be a lot more careful with that."
"I think it's very important to seek the information of somebody who's knowledgeable," says Makowski.
Susan Clements runs the Herbwyfe in Wickford. And many of her clients, like Helen Anne, will tell you, "I believe in herbs as medicine."
But Clements says just because it's an herb, it doesn't mean it's safe for all.
For instance for most people golden seal is a great immune system booster, but on the flip side, "Golden seal has the ability to create high blood pressure for some people so anybody who has high blood pressure shouldn't do golden seal anyway."
There's poke root, it's used to treat inflammatory conditions of the upper respiratory tract, but it can be potentially deadly if overused. So, too, can the herbal stimulant, ephedra. But there are many herbs that make wonderful, safe teas, Clements says.
"Nettle is really popular, nettle has a lot of natural vitamins and things like iron and calcium. Red raspberry is wonderful for women's reproductive issues, it also has a lot of calcium."
Lesley Wooler has her own calming blend of herbs. "Chamomile and skull cap and oat straw and I think it also has some lemon balm and then I used a combination of nettle and red clover and milky oats."
"But don't try mixing herbs on your own, "There's a skill to blending herbal teas that is acquired I think with study and overtime," says Clements.
Clements has a particular blend she calls her "happy tea," it has nettle for energy, milky oats which is soothing. "This is lemon balm, this has a light lemony smell to it...mmmmm," she says.
The lemon balm makes you feel good.
But what about kids? Should they be drinking tea?
Dr. William Hollinshead of the Rhode Island Department of health says there's no reason not to let our children drink tea.
"As I say, everything in moderation," says Hollinshead. Unless it's one of the so called "wellness teas."
They specifically recommend that only adults should be taking their wellness teas.
Experts say it's very important to read labels and know what's in the teas we drink.
Know that certain herbs can interact with certain medications. Even green tea, according to dietitian Sue Makowski, may affect blood-thinning medications.
Copyright 2003 by turnto10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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The AP has posted yet another story on the dangers of Ephedra. I counted no less than 15 news sites linking to it today. Yahoo! seems to have the most text on the subject.
[Sigh.] This is getting rather old. I'm about to throw in the towel and just order up a stockpile of Ma Huang for when "they" finally ban it. What a shame.
For those who will follow the link, allow me to make these clarifying points:
Sure, the actual date may fade from memory... but my actions and reactions to the news will forever be branded in my mind for the rest of my life. My memories from 17 years ago seem as fresh as when they were first laid down. You see, astronauts were the only heroes of my youth. I understand the risks, the dangers. And I know that each of those brave souls also understood and accepted the risks and dangers. But that doesn't make this any less difficult on me.
Blessed be, brave souls of Columbia. May your memories live on in each of us for all eternity.
Namaste...
For those of you who have never experienced the sheer joy of rain in the Sonoran desert...
In my concentration I gradually become aware of silence. The plucking of the rain is gone and it is so still that I hold my breath, afraid that the sound of aspiration will violate the quiet. In the whispery stillness I listen for the resins to gather on the surface of the creosote leaf and leap off into the air. A breeze stirs the branches and the aroma swirls out of every leaf. I inhale that marvelous scent that graces the air, not cloying, not sweet, but resinous and clean. It's what the world ought to smell like when it rains. - Ann Haymond Zwinger - The Mysterious Lands 1989More on Larrea tridentata, or creosote bush, coming soon...