There's no question that the use of herbal supplements has increased markedly in the past few years. But many people taking herbal supplements like ginseng, kava and St. John's wort may be unaware of the of the potential side effect those herbs can have, especially when combined with popular over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers.

Herbs and NSAID-Based Pain Relievers

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are among the most popular over-the-counter pain medications in the North America. Unfortunately, this group of analgesics, which includes aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, have the potential to interact with a wide variety of popular herbs. Especially dangerous are herbs with anti-platelet activity. This includes popular herbal supplements like:

• Bilberry
• Dong quai
• Feverfew
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Ginkgo
• Tumeric
• Willow

Another group of herbs known to interact with NSAIDs are herbs that contain coumarin. Prized for its strong anti-fungal and anti-tumor properties, coumarin is found in herbs like:

• Chamomile
• Fengreek
• Horse chestnut
• Red clover

Herbs and Acetaminophen-Based Pain Relievers

When taking acetaminophen and herbs together, the main issue is liver damage. Acetaminophen can potentially interact with a number of herbs but those herbal supplements with the potential for liver damage, which is known medically as hepatotoxicity, are of special concern. The most popular hepatotoxic herbs include:

• Black cohosh
• Echinacea
• Kava

Another danger inherent to mixing herbs and pain relievers containing acetaminophen is kidney damage, or nephrotoxicity. Anyone taking prescription medications for kidney disease should discuss their use of herbal supplements with a qualified health care professional but a few herbs are actually known to be potentially nephrotoxic even to people with healthy kidneys. The most popular nephrotoxic herbs sold in North America include:

• Chaparral
• Comfrey
• Yohimbe

Herbs and Prescription Pain Relievers

Prescription medications like oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl are strong, effective pain relievers. They are also able to cause marked drowsiness. Combined with sedative herbs, prescription opiates can depress the central nervous system to the point that death occurs. Some of the most dangerous herbs to avoid while taking prescription pain relievers include:

• Chamomile
• Kava
• Valerian

A Final Word on Mixing Herbs and Pain Relievers

This is by no means a complete list of herbs and herbal supplements that can interact with the pain relievers you may be taking. Only a qualified medical professional is qualified to give you medical advice. For more information about possible herb/drug interactions, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Remember, if something is strong enough to cause healing, it's also strong enough to have side effects--even if it's an herb.

References:

Abebe, W. (2002). Herbal medication: potential for adverse interactions with analgesic drugs. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.

National Kidney Foundation

Natural Pain Relief: Chronic Pain Supplements

From WebMd.com  By R. Morgan Griffin  WebMD Feature  Reviewed by David Kiefer, MD

If you’re living with chronic pain, you may have already tried the usual treatments. You may have cycled through the drugs, like NSAIDs and opioids. Maybe you’ve even tried surgery. But you’re still in pain. Could natural pain relief with pain supplements offer an alternative? Experts say -- depending on what’s causing your pain -- supplements may help. “I think supplements can be the cornerstone of good pain management,” says David C. Leopold, MD, director of Integrative Medical Education at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego. “People are also looking to supplements more and more. They have less tolerance for the side effects of traditional pain medications. They want something different.

Given the heavy toll that chronic pain can take on a person’s life, getting control of your pain is key. For a better understanding of which pain supplements might help with which conditions, WebMD turned to some integrative medicine experts. Whether you’re suffering from an achy knee or nerve pain, here’s what you need to know about natural pain relief.

Understanding Chronic Pain

What sets chronic pain apart from more acute pain is its relentlessness. Acute pain fades away as the body heals from an injury. Chronic pain doesn’t.

The causes of chronic pain vary -- fibromyalgia, arthritis, nerve damage, and back injuries to name a few. But in a way, the core problem is the same: pain. It’s the pain that sends people to the doctor. It’s the pain that can devastate a person’s life. Pain was once thought of as the side effect of other conditions. Now, many experts see chronic pain as a condition in itself that needs its own treatment.

Still, for the average person, getting the right treatment isn’t easy.

“Unfortunately, the conventional medical treatment of chronic pain still isn’t very good,” says Leopold. Perhaps the treatment doesn’t work well and the pain is still interfering with your life. Or maybe the side effects are too severe. Opioid painkillers can cause sedation, constipation, and a risk of addiction. NSAID painkillers -- from over-the-counter drugs like Advil to prescription medicines like Celebrex -- pose a danger of bleeding, stomach problems, and cardiovascular risks.

Natural Pain Relief: Pain Supplements

Natural pain relief offers an alternative. But given that there are so many pain supplements lining the shelves of your drugstore, it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s a rundown of the chronic pain supplements that our experts thought were most important.

• Anti-inflammatory plants and herbs. For all sorts of painful conditions -- including osteoarthritis and back pain -- chronic inflammation is the real problem. NSAID medicines -- such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, and Celebrex -- work so well because they block the enzymes that trigger both swelling and pain.
  
  But if you don’t like the idea of being on an NSAID forever, there’s good news. “There are natural alternatives to NSAIDs that have a similar mechanism,” says Leopold. They include turmeric, green tea, ginger, rosemary, cat’s claw, devil’s claw, and willow bark.
  
  Which pain supplement is best? Leopold and other experts single out turmeric. “It works really well,” says Tanya Edwards, MD, medical director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “I’ve had patients with arthritis who start using turmeric and are able to go off their NSAIDs entirely.” Look for turmeric in standardized capsules.
  
  Because they work in the same way as NSAIDs, these pain supplements do pose some of the same risks, such as bleeding. However, the side effects tend to be less severe. Leopold still suggests that people on blood-thinning drugs check with a doctor before using any of these pain supplements. 

• Fish oil. “Fish oil is the clean-up hitter of supplements,” says David P. Rakel, MD, founder and director of the University of Wisconsin’s Integrative Medicine Program in Madison. There’s strong evidence that it helps with many conditions, ranging from cardiovascular problems to depression to asthma.
  
  Fish oil can also ease the inflammation and pain caused by many chronic conditions. The dose used in the most convincing research is 2 to 4 grams of DHA + EPA daily. Although beneficial omega-3 fatty acids are available from other sources, experts say that fish oil has the best evidence.
  
  “I recommend omega-3s to everybody, including those with chronic pain,” says Leopold. He says that they help with headaches, back pain, some nerve pain, and autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  “The pain relief you get from fish oil alone is not tremendous,” notes Rakel. “It’s probably less than you’d get from ibuprofen and other NSAIDs.” But given that some NSAIDs may actually increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, the fact this pain supplement protects against them is an added bonus, he says.

@WebMd.com: Read the rest of the article to lelarn about more natural pain relievers

Natural Energy To Combat Chronic Fatigue

From Herbal-Supplements-Guide.com

Energy supplements for chronic fatigue can help treat this condition which is marked by severe exhaustion. This affliction can be caused by a variety of factors, including cancer and heart disease or a reaction to medications you may be taking, so you have to be sure you see a physician to find out exactly what the root of the problem is.

The Problem with Most Energy Supplements on the Market

There are energy supplements for chronic fatigue that can give you an added boost of energy. The problem with most energy supplements, in the form of energy bars or energy drinks, is that they contain a lot of sugar, which can contribute to weight gain and headaches.

Many of the over the counter energy supplements for chronic fatigue, as well as other energy products also contain a lot of caffeine, often much more than a cup of coffee, which could pose similar health risks as a recently banned popular energy ingredient called ephedra.

So as you can see, energy drinks, bars and pills are not the best energy supplements for chronic fatigue.

You are much better off with natural energy boosting vitamins, minerals and nutrients which can stimulate energy without the negative side effects.

What are natural energy boosting nutrients?

There are many natural ingredients that can boost your body's energy significantly. Let's take a look at some of the most important ones:

Natural Energy Boosting Vitamins

We are all aware of the importance of vitamins in maintaing our health. Specifically, the Vitamin B Family, namely Vitamin B12, Biotin and Folic Acid, can help fight fatigue by helping our body use the sugar glucose (fuel) and aiding in the formation of blood cells (energy transport).

Natural Energy Boosting Herbs

Herbal extracts contain some of the most powerful antioxidants and other therapeutic nutrients. Siberian ginseng, gotu kola and maitake are three energy boosting and fatigue fighting natural herbs.

Natural Energy Boosting Minerals & Nutrients

Some minerals and nutrients can increase energy production in cells. These include NADH, Co-Enzyme Q-10 and magnesium among others.

What are the best energy supplements for chronic fatigue?

Should you take all of these energy boost herbs, vitamins and minerals separately or together in one comprehensive formula?

We recommend that you take these nutrients together if possible for many reasons:

1. Taking each energy boost herb, vitamin and mineral separately could prove very costly.

2. Mixing and matching nutrients on your own could be dangerous to your health.

3. Many nutrients working together can offer more therapeutic benefits, often better than a single nutrient on its own.

4. All of these nutrients have to be balanced perfectly in order to be optimally effective.

We have found two energy supplements for chronic fatigue that we believe are of the highest quality and offer the most therapeutic benefits.

The first is a nutritional supplement that contains all of the natural energy boosting vitamins, minerals and nutrients in a synergized comprehensive formula. It is called Total Balance, and we have made it our core nutritional product. It is made up of all high quality natural ingredients that can increase your energy levels as well as promote overall health and well-being.

The second is called Natural Energy with Bee Pollen and it is a natural energy supplement with many health benefits. Bee pollen is called a "superfood" because it contains every nutrient needed to sustain life. In addition to being a powerful energy booster, it can fight stress, regulate weight and aid in the digestive process.

We extensively researched the company that makes these natural formulas and have found that they adhere to strict GMP compliance, which are the highest manufacturing standards in the world. This ensures the quality and effectiveness of the ingredients.

Also, they only use standardized herbal extracts, the purest herbal extracts with the highest quality and therapeutic benefits.

All of the ingredients in Total Balance and Natural Energy with Bee Pollen are supported with a Certificate of Analysis (COA) which guarantees their potency and safety.

Lastly, all of the nutritional products are formulated by a highly trained, highly credentialed scientific team that can blend these ingredients perfectly to ensure that they offer the maximum benefits to your body.

As with all health supplements, be sure to consult your physician or qualified medical professional before taking any energy supplements for chronic fatigue or other energy boost supplements.

Heal Stomach Ulcers Without Drugs

From NaturalNews.com

Stomach ulcers are small holes or sores in the gastrointestinal tract which affect millions of Americans every year. The most common major symptom of an ulcer is a burning or gnawing feeling in the stomach area that lasts from half an hour up to three hours. Usually, the pain occurs in the upper abdomen, but may sometimes occur below the breastbone. Fortunately, there are several natural remedies which can heal and soothe stomach ulcers without the risk of mainstream drugs.

Appetite and weight loss are also common symptoms of ulcers. Other symptoms which may occur include recurrent vomiting, black stool, blood in the stool and anemia. Often ulcer pain is misinterpreted as heartburn, indigestion or hunger. A person with duodenal ulcers may experience weight gain due to eating more to ease discomfort.

Also known as peptic ulcers, stomach ulcers are caused by the destruction of the gastric or intestinal mucosal lining of the stomach by hydrochloric acid, an acid normally present in the digestive juices of the stomach. Infection from the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is thought to play an important role in causing both gastric and duodenal ulcers. H. pylori may be transmitted from one person to another through contaminated food and water.

Chronic use of anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin, is another major cause of ulcer. Cigarette smoking is also an important cause of ulcer formation and can contribute to ulcer treatment failure.

Following are some of the best natural remedies for healing and soothing stomach ulcers:

* One of the very best home remedies for ulcers is eating raw cabbage. Juicing the raw cabbage will make it easier to take and mixing it with carrots in the juicer will make it better tasting. Drink half a cup before each meal and at bed time and make sure that it is fresh. Your ulcer may be gone in only a few weeks.

* Eat at least three bananas a day. These fruits contain an antibacterial substance that inhibits the growth of ulcer-causing H. pylori. Studies show that animals fed bananas have a thicker stomach wall and greater mucus production in the stomach, which helps build a barrier between digestive acids and the lining of the stomach. Eating plantains is also helpful.

* Cayenne pepper is wonderful for healing ulcers as well as dulling the pain. It is a bit strong and may take some getting used to at the outset. Start with one-eighth teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a glass of water twice a day and work up to a quarter-teaspoon. You can also take cayenne capsules that you can get at the health food store. Take three a day immediately after meals.

* The bark of slippery elm soothes the mucous membranes that line the stomach and duodenum. It is often taken in powdered form. Some herbalists recommend taking a teaspoon of powdered slippery elm bark added to one cup of warm water three times a day.

* Colloidal silver helps kill the H. pylori bacteria and helps heal injured stomach tissues.

* Raw honey soothes and reduces inflammation of the lining of the stomach and is good for healing as well.

* Garlic's antibacterial properties include fighting H. pylori. Take two small crushed cloves a day.

* Plums and other red and purple colored foods such as berries inhibit the growth of H. pylori.

* Coconut oil kills the bacteria that cause ulcers and gas, but it's mostly a long-term remedy.

A few other good ulcer remedies are: raw goats' milk, barley water, aloe juice, propolis capsules, licorice root or marshmallow root.

Sources included:

http://www.mamashealth.com/Stomach.asp
http://www.treelight.com/health/nut...
http://health.howstuffworks.com/hom...
http://www.tbyil.com/Ulcers.htm

Study: Vitamin D Lowers Cancer Risk

From TheEpochTimes.com By Dr. John Briffa

There’s an old adage in medicine: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I couldn’t agree more. The problem with a lot of truly preventive medicine is that there’s not much money in it.

The real money (for drug companies) is in treatment. To an extent, there also is money in diagnosis, for example, mammography and blood tests for prostate cancer.

It is a sad fact that the medical approaches that get the most attention tend to be those that are the most lucrative. When things are cheap, there often is not the commercial will and push that can be instrumental in their popularization.

One approach, which shows considerable promise as a disease-preventer, is optimization of vitamin D levels. Higher levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced risk of a range of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and several forms of cancer.

Recently we saw the publication of a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that links vitamin D supplementation (at a dose of 400 IU or more a day) with a 26 percent reduced risk of breast cancer.

This study is epidemiological in nature, and therefore cannot be used to conclude that vitamin D supplementation reduces breast cancer. All we know from this study is that vitamin D supplementation is associated with lower breast cancer risk.

However, this is not the only research linking vitamin D with reduced breast cancer risk. In one 2005 meta-analysis (grouping of relevant studies), published in the American Journal of Public Health, 9 of 13 studies found higher levels of vitamin D to be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer incidence or death due to breast cancer.

This meta-analysis also found evidence for higher levels of vitamin D and reduced risk of prostate and colon cancer. This review also details a range of mechanisms through which vitamin D might reduce cancer risk.

We appear to have a significant volume of research that links vitamin D with a reduced risk of cancer and a number of plausible mechanisms, which could explain this association.

However, what we require to confirm the notion that vitamin D protects against cancer are controlled clinical trials. One study that is relevant was published in 2007 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In it, post-menopausal women were treated with either vitamin D (1,100 IU per day) and calcium (1,400–1,500 milligrams per day), or calcium alone, or placebo.

The trial lasted for four years. Supplementation would not be expected to reduce cancer incidence very quickly, so the authors of this study separately analyzed data from one year into the study and beyond.

This analysis revealed that compared to placebo, calcium supplementation alone did not reduce risk of cancer. However, calcium coupled with vitamin D did. Risk of cancer was reduced by 77 percent.

Ideally, it would be nice to have the results of randomized controlled studies that used vitamin D alone (compared to placebo). However, even in the absence of such studies, it seems clear that we have a considerable and mounting body of evidence that suggests that vitamin D has considerable potential to prevent cancer. I am also pleased to see that there is growing recognition of this despite the fact that vitamin D has relatively limited potential from a commercial perspective.

Dr. John Briffa is a London-based physician and author with an interest in nutrition and natural medicine. His website is Drbriffa.com

From The New York Times: