Herbal Skin Care - Herbs for Healing Acne

Herbs have been used for a wide variety of health care remedies since the beginning of time. Using elements that occur naturally can effectively treat acne and other skin conditions. Herbal skin care is affordable, accessible and less like to cause skin irritation and sensitivity than traditional medications. When certain herbs are applied to your skin topically, they can be a healthy alternative solution to prescription medications.

Eucalyptus: This essential oil comes from the eucalyptus tree, which is one of the tallest known trees in the world and can be found in Australia, Africa, North America, India and Southern Europe. Eucalyptus is the most powerful antiseptic in its class and has outstanding astringent qualities, which aid in the treatment of acne-prone skin.

Papaya Enzyme: The papaya is a tropical fruit that has a nutrient-rich enzyme called papin. This enzyme is used to dissolve unwanted proteins and other dead materials on the surface of your skin. The papaya enzyme works to open pores, exfoliate, promote the turnover of skin cells, soften and smooth skin and improve your overall skin tone.

Sage: This silvery-green plant has fragrant leaves and is found growing in the Mediterranean and North America. Sage oil contains chemical substances and other constituents, such as as camphor, cineole, rosmarinic acid, tannins and others. The substances found in sage oil have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral effects, which make it an outstanding medicinal skin treatment.

Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil is obtained from the leaves of the native Australian Melaleuca alternifolia tree. This oil has natural antibacterial qualities, contains antiseptic compounds and is proven to be a very good skin disinfectant. When used to treat acne, it is just as effective as 5% benzoyl peroxide and less drying. However, the results of treatment with tea tree oil take just a little bit longer to see than with benzoyl peroxide.

Thyme: Thyme is the general name for herbs of the Thymus species, which are native to the western Mediterranean region. The essential thyme oil is located in the small glands on the leaves and contains thymol, linalol and paracymene. Thyme is effective in treating acne-prone skin because of its multiple actions, including antibacterial, antioxidant, antiseptic and astringent.

Witch Hazel: Witch hazel is the common name for a genus of shrubs known as Hamamelis and is rich in natural astringents such as volatile oils and tannins. Witch hazel has antiseptic capabilities that tone the skin and blood vessels, as well as draw out clogged pores.

Exploring holistic remedies can give you clearer, more healthy skin. Incorporating herbal skin care products with natural ingredients into your daily skin care regimen will improve your skin's overall appearance over time.

Herbal Skin Care

Herbal Skin Care. This latest in formation comes to us from the blog.

Natural Remedies & Herbal | Alternative Healing | Acupunture

Friday, March 16, 2007
Seabuckthorn Has Received Considerable Attention Hippophae rhamnoides (Elaeagnaceae), commonly known as seabuckthorn, gets its name from its habit of growing near the sea, and from the possession of many spines or thorns that are reminiscent of some buckthorn species (of the genus Rhamnus).

The genus name Hippophae is classical Latin for "shining horse," a name that was given in ancient times after it was found that feeding the leaves to horses improved their health and made their hair shiny Seabuckthorn grows in various regions of Asia, Europe and North America.

Seabuckthorn is used for preventing soil erosion due to the extensive root system that develops rapidly and can be found on slopes, riverbanks, and seashores. In recent years, the clinical importance of seabuckthorn has receivied considerable attention. Seabuckthorn is used for nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical as well as other applications. Seabuckthorn contains edible berries with exceptionally high contents of nutrients and phytonutrients.

http://www.herbalinfosite.com/

Herbal Skin Care Tips..Ayurved India!

Herbal Tips for Skin Care!


1) Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.


2) Cut some beet root into small pieces and grind them. Squeeze juice from beet root and massage to your face for 5 minutes. Shower after 10 minutes with mild soap or gram flour.


3) Mix sandalwood powder with rose water and add 4 to 5 drops of milk in it and apply on to your face and body. Shower after 15 minutes with warm water.


4) Mix honey in water and drink daily in the morning to keep your skin shiny and smooth.


5) Warm honey and mix with lemon juice and apply on to face. Wash after it dry.


6) Mix Turmeric, sandal powder and olive oil and apply to body. Shower after 10 minutes.


7) Massage your skin with milk. Milk has moisturizer, it will keep your skin smooth.


8) Use humidifiers and keep room temperature moderate to keep your skin away from dryness.


9) Hot water blushes your skin and you don't feel fresh unless you have bath with little cold water. If you have shower for a longtime, dead skin will be automatically be removed. Do not rub with towel, be gentle on your skin.


10) Take food which contains more A and C vitamin.


11) Grate carrot and boil. Massage that mixture to body to get fair and smooth skin.

12) For natural bleaching: - mix milk and lemon juice. The
milk will break as soon as you mix the lemon juice in it. Use that mixture to massage on your body. It works as natural bleaching.


13) Mix turmeric and cream on the top of milk, massage that mixture to body.


14) If you go into sun your skin will lost the fair ness. To get your skin color to normal take equal quantities of cucumber juice and tomato juice and apply on to skin. Shower after 10 minutes.


15) Massage mustard oil to your skin for 5 minutes and have shower with gram flour or mild soap.


16) Mix cream on the top of milk and all-purpose flour and apply that paste on to your skin avoid eyes, eyebrows and lips. Shower after 5 minutes. This will make skin smooth.


17) Mix curds (yogurt) with wheat flour and apply to your skin and take shower after 5 minutes.


18) Grind rose petals and mix with cream on the top of milk and apply to your body. Shower after 10 minutes.


19) Scaly skin is a result of fluorine deficiency. Fluorine is the anti-resistant element of the human body, the absence of which creates problems in the blood and spleen. Since cooking and heating foods destroys fluorine, it is better to eat uncooked raw fruits and vegetables. Other foods rich in fluorine are goat milk and cheese, rye flour, avocados, sea plants and cabbage, cream whey and cottage cheese.


20) Wrinkle skin is a result of Sodium deficiency and makes skin sticky. Cucumbers are ideal for combating and preventing sodium deficiency because they are not only high in sodium, but also help in keeping the body cool, a great summer's treat.

Herbal Skin Care Provides Natural Protection

The idea of using botanicals to help maintain healthy looking skin is not new as herbal skin care is believed to have been in use by ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago. However, the idea of picking up a plant and rubbing all over their face and other areas of the body may not be appealing to everyone. Besides, if they do not know what they are looking for, such as accidentally grabbing a handful of poison ivy, the result can be catastrophic.

It is not the plant that offers herbal skin care its benefits, as it is the oils in specific plants that can offer renewal of the skin. During those first thousand or so years, there were not the additional threats to the skin such as tanning booths and chemical laced cosmetic products and many agree that herbal skin care goes back to the basics of using only natural products instead of those grown in a laboratory.

Replenishing the body's diminishing supply of retinol and collagen to keep the skin smooth and wrinkle free while maintaining its elasticity can best be done by the use of herbal skin care instead of man-made products. Over the years, some of the natural products have been hard to come by and to mass produce the product, experiments were able to reproduce many of them through artificial means.

Great Skin Not Grown In The Lab

While many chemicals have been used to create different hormones and substances produced by the human body, skin is the one thing that cannot be duplicated. Every person must take care of what grows naturally, and by using herbal skin care can provide it with a natural repair mechanism to keep it looking young and healthy.

For many, wrinkles are considered a badge of honor in the aging process, but for others, they want to keep their skin looking as young as they feel. By eating right and exercising they take care of their overall health and simply want the best herbal skin care for their skin that they can find. Moisturizing the skins begins from the inside by keeping the body hydrated, but sometimes exposure to dry climates requires the use of herbal skin care deep moisturizers to replace the moisture deep inside the skin and not just on the outside.

Finding the right herbal skin care product for the right skin type can take some time on a trial and error basis, but many herbalists understand what products work the best in the different situations. Those with exceptionally dry skin may need more natural moisturizers than others, but with age comes the need for some sort of herbal skin care product to help protect what grows naturally.

Skin Care Tips According to Your Skin Type

In the previous article, we learned about five different skin types, namely, normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive and a necessity of a proper skin care that would be adjusted for your particular skin type.

Today, read our skin care recommendations that are designed to guide you through a wide sea of various beauty tips and products towards finding what you really need in order to keep your skin smooth, young, and gorgeous.

1. Normal skin, although being the least problematic type, still requires cleaning, nourishing, and moisturizing. In the morning, refresh your skin with rose water or an alcohol-free astringent tonic and moisturize it with a mild, non-greasy cream, preferably made from natural ingredients without petroleum by-products. Use a good quality make-up, but do not overindulge. Before bed, gently wash your face with a mild soap, such as goat milk soap, and put on a bit of an oil-based nourishing cream, paying particular attention to the areas around your eyes. After about 15 minutes, gently pat your skin dry with a napkin. Once a week, use an egg yolk mask, or any other natural and non-drying mask to feed and rejuvenate your face skin. Do not forget to take care about your body, as well. Every day after showering, use a mild moisturizing lotion to keep your body skin supple and healthy.

2. Dry skin requires a more thorough care, since it is prone to flaking, irritating, and fast aging. If your skin is dry, you should use only natural and rich skin-care products, such as undiluted shea butter, extra-virgin coconut oil, or home-made herbal oils. Apply them twice a day and allow some time for your skin to absorb nourishing and moisturizing ingredients from the oil before putting a hypoallergenic make-up on. Try not to use tap water but, instead, clean your facial skin with mild cleansing milks or herbal infusions. With good care, dry skin will always look healthy and smooth.

3. Oily skin requires the opposite approach - instead of putting an emphasis on nourishing, you should focus on removing excess oil from it, hydrating, cleaning enlarged pores, and preventing or treating acne. Wash your skin about 2-3 times a day, but use a mild soap only once a day, because otherwise oil glands will be stimulated to produce even more sebum. Use only non-greasy moisturisers and tone your face often with alcohol-free herbal tonics or ice cubes, which will restore the health and balance of your skin. The best masks for oily skin are those featuring drying and hydrating ingredients, for example, clay, papaya, or yogurt. Apply once a week and make sure to rinse your face thoroughly with cool water after about 20 minutes. In case of acne, remove sugar and other carbohydrates from your diet and make sure not to eat any processed foods.

4. Combination skin may be complicated to manage, because it has both oily and dry areas each requiring different care. The trick is to use oily skin tips for the facial areas of oily skin (usually, on the forehead and nose) and to apply dry skin tips to the areas of dry skin (around the eyes and on the cheeks).

5. Sensitive skin is always very dry and irritated - this is why you should take a very thorough care of it using the above tips for dry skin. Additional hints: watch what you eat and make sure to consume a fair amount of essential fatty acids, organic protein, yogurt, and lacto-fermented fruits and vegetables. Remember that women who eat a vegetarian, or even worse so, a vegan, diet, usually develop very dry, wrinkled, and irritated skin.

Skin Care - Quick Herbal Tips

Down the ages, Indian women have used simple, effective home-made remedies to look after their skin.

Skin Cleanser:
Found in your own kitchen is a simple, chemical free cleanser � good ol� unboiled milk. All you need to do is dip a piece of cotton wool in milk and wipe your face with it. It also cleans unseen dirt and goes down into your pores. Another fine cleanser is almond oil, especially effective in protecting the delicate skin under the eyes.

Skin Moisturizer:
For normal skin care, you can take 1 cup of yogurt, 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and mix it into a paste. Apply it on your face as a mask and keep it on for 15 minutes. Then clean it off with a wet tissue watch your complexion glow. For dry skin, you could use a mixture of cooked oatmeal and honey; it will not only help moisturize the skin but also acts as a good cleansing agent.

Skin Nourishment and Bleach:
For nourishing your face try a protein mask. You can prepare this mask by first soaking 1 tablespoon urad dal and 4 almonds in water overnight and then grinding them into a paste. You can then apply this protein mask to your face and wash it off after half an hour. This exceptional protein mask will not only nourish the skin but also bleach it.

Wrinkle Prevention and Softer Skin:
To prevent wrinkles and soften your skin, you could try pure castor oil; it is known to slow down the aging process of the skin.

Skin Conditioner:
Another simple and excellent skin conditioner that can be made out of 1 tbsp. honey blended with 2 tbsp. cream (of milk). Leave it on for a few minutes and wash it off. It works like magic.

Skin Blemishes:
For skin blemishes, you can try rubbing a raw potato on your face.

Sun-Protection Lotion:
It�s summer time. Time to cool off. So let�s wind up with a good home-made sun-protection lotion. Take cucumber juice and equal amounts of glycerine and rose water and make a concoction. This should be refrigerated. Try it, it�s really cool.

The Indian beauty has a hundred tips up her sleeve, so visit us again for some more beauty secrets next week.

Beauty Tips

We all are creations of beautiful nature. There is no word as ugly in natures' creations. The judgment of grades of beauty lies in the vision of viewer. One looks beautiful and radiant only when his inner beauty surfaces. This inner beauty is gained through yoga, meditation and use of natural beauty enhancers.

Beauty tips:

Grate raw coconut and squeeze milk out of it. Apply this milk over your lips and face. It adds grace and glow to your skin.

Cleansing the skin :

Dip a piece of cotton wool in unboiled milk and wipe on the face with it. It also cleans unseen dirt and goes down to pores.

Skin Moisturizer:

For normal skin mix 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a cup of yogurt, to make a paste. Apply it on face as a mask and keep it on for 15 minutes. Then clean it off with a wet tissue. This mask enhances the complexion and glow of face.
Nourishing the skin A protein mask help to nourish your skin. Soak a teaspoon of urad dal and 5-6 almonds overnight. Grind this to a fine paste apply this protein mask on face and wash it off after half an hour. This mask nourishes the facial skin and also enhances the complexion.
Preventing wrinkles :Application of pure castor oil prevents wrinkles and softens the skin. This slows down the aging process also

Home made conditioner: mix one table spoon of honey and 2 table spoon of cream. apply this mixture on face and wash it off after few minutes. It works wonders.
Removing Skin pigmentation and marks:
Rubbing a raw potato on face removes marks and pigments.

Sun-screen Lotion from kitchen:
Prepare a homogenious mixture of cucumber juice , glycerin and rose water .Apply this mixture on face. this mixture can be refrigerated.

Fundamentals of a healthy skin

Cleansing

All good skincare regimens begins with proper cleansing.

This removes the dirty surface film that the skin picks up from our surroundings, and the more polluted the surroundings, the better the cleansing needs to be.

A good thorough cleansing is absolutely necessary for Herbal Info. To clean the skin, its best to select a gentle hypoallergenic, pH-balanced cream, lotion or soap, designed to help dissolve surface dirt and any makeup.

To remove the buildup of normal dead cells, it is beneficial to regularly exfoliate the skin, with a gentle scrub.

Massage the cleansing cream, like our Herbal Face Wash well into the skin, wait a few moments and remove the residue with facial tissue, or wash your face with a gentle soap like our Herbal Face Bar.

Moisturizing

The single disadvantage of cleansing your skin is the simultaneous removal of beneficial oils on your skin. These oils help retain precious moisture and form a barrier between the polluted environment and yourself. This drawback is easily neutralized by using a good moisturizer.

Two types of moisturizers are required:

• A lightweight thin moisturizer for use during the day and underneath makeup
• A heavier more nutritious cream for night-time care.

When applying, dab onto fingers and gently massage it in with a slow circular motion until absorbed.

Protection

The final step for good skin care is protecting ourselves from the environment. The sun emits dangerous ultra-violet rays, which can cause lasting damage to your skin and can cause health problems like skin cancer with continuous exposure.

Whenever outside, even on cloudy or overcast days, use a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF15. If you are unsure of the SPF number, check the container.

Treatments

At times of injury, burns, cuts, allergic skin reactions, eczema, etc. the skin needs extra care to cope with the demands placed on it.

At this time, specialized skin treatment creams and lotions might be needed, like our absolutely wonderful Herbal Healing Cream.

In other cases, as in the rupture of connective tissue, leading to stretch marks you could look at a specialized gel, like our Herbal Stretch Mark Gel.

For specific problems, like baggy puffy eyes, you could also look at a product like our herbal treatment Herbal Eye Gel.

Should you however experience a medical problem, kindly contact a licensed medical practitioner.

Herbal Skin Care Tips

Here are 22 practical Herbal Tips for Skin Care from the experts! Very easy to use and effective.

1) Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.


2) Cut some beet root into small pieces and grind them. Squeeze juice from beet root and massage to your face for 5 minutes. Shower after 10 minutes with mild soap or gram flour.


3) Mix sandalwood powder with rose water and add 4 to 5 drops of milk in it and apply on to your face and body. Shower after 15 minutes with warm water.


4) Mix honey in water and drink daily in the morning to keep your skin shiny and smooth.


5) Warm honey and mix with lemon juice and apply on to face. Wash after it dry.


6) Mix Turmeric, sandal powder and olive oil and apply to body. Shower after 10 minutes.


7) Massage your skin with milk. Milk has moisturizer, it will keep your skin smooth.


8) Use humidifiers and keep room temperature moderate to keep your skin away from dryness.


9) Hot water blushes your skin and you don't feel fresh unless you have bath with little cold water. If you have shower for a longtime, dead skin will be automatically be removed. Do not rub with towel, be gentle on your skin.


10) Take food which contains more A and C vitamin.


11) Grate carrot and boil। Massage that mixture to body to get fair and smooth skin.

12) For natural bleaching: - mix milk and lemon juice. The
milk will break as soon as you mix the lemon juice in it. Use that mixture to massage on your body. It works as natural bleaching.


13) Mix turmeric and cream on the top of milk, massage that mixture to body.


14) If you go into sun your skin will lost the fair ness. To get your skin color to normal take equal quantities of cucumber juice and tomato juice and apply on to skin. Shower after 10 minutes.


15) Massage mustard oil to your skin for 5 minutes and have shower with gram flour or mild soap.


16) Mix cream on the top of milk and all-purpose flour and apply that paste on to your skin avoid eyes, eyebrows and lips. Shower after 5 minutes. This will make skin smooth.


17) Mix curds (yogurt) with wheat flour and apply to your skin and take shower after 5 minutes.


18) Grind rose petals and mix with cream on the top of milk and apply to your body. Shower after 10 minutes.


19) Scaly skin is a result of fluorine deficiency. Fluorine is the anti-resistant element of the human body, the absence of which creates problems in the blood and spleen. Since cooking and heating foods destroys fluorine, it is better to eat uncooked raw fruits and vegetables. Other foods rich in fluorine are goat milk and cheese, rye flour, avocados, sea plants and cabbage, cream whey and cottage cheese.


20) Wrinkle skin is a result of Sodium deficiency and makes skin sticky. Cucumbers are ideal for combating and preventing sodium deficiency because they are not only high in sodium, but also help in keeping the body cool, a great summer's treat.


21) Skin rashes are the result of silicon deficiency. To avoid pus and rashes, eat plenty of sprouts, alfalfa, barley, tomatoes, spinach, strawberries and figs.


22) Skin eruptions are the result of Chlorophyll. And are found in wheat grass and other green leafy vegetables

Herbal Tips for Skin

Skin Cleanser:
Found in your own kitchen knife sets is a simple, chemical free cleanser – good ol’ unboiled milk. All you need to do is dip a piece of cotton wool in milk and wipe your face with it. It also cleans unseen dirt and goes down into your pores. Another fine cleanser is almond oil, especially effective in protecting the delicate skin under the eyes.

Skin Moisturizer:
For normal skin care, you can take 1 cup of yogurt, 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and mix it into a paste. Apply it on your face as a mask and keep it on for 15 minutes. Then clean it off with a wet tissue watch your complexion glow. For dry skin, you could use a mixture of cooked oatmeal and honey; it will not only help moisturize the skin but also acts as a good cleansing agent.

Skin Nourishment and Bleach:
For nourishing your face try a protein mask. You can prepare this mask by first soaking 1 tablespoon urad dal and 4 almonds in water overnight and then grinding them into a paste. You can then apply this protein mask to your face and wash it off after half an hour. This exceptional protein mask will not only nourish the skin but also bleach it.

Wrinkle Prevention and Softer Skin:
To prevent wrinkles and soften your skin, you could try pure castor oil; it is known to slow down the aging process of the skin.

Skin Conditioner:
Another simple and excellent skin conditioner that can be made out of 1 tbsp. honey blended with 2 tbsp. cream (of milk). Leave it on for a few minutes and wash it off. It works like magic.

Skin Blemishes:
For skin blemishes, you can try rubbing a raw potato on your face.

Sun-Protection Lotion:
It’s summer time. Time to cool off. So let’s wind up with a good home-made sun-protection lotion. Take cucumber juice and equal amounts of glycerine and rose water and make a concoction. This should be refrigerated. Try it, it’s really cool.

Simple Herbal Remedies Information

Herbal remedies are a type of alternative medicine that originates from plants and plant extracts. Used to heal illnesses and disease and to address psychological concerns, herbal remedies have been around for centuries, and were the precursor to modern medicine. Herbal remedies are obtained from a wide variety of natural resources including plant leaves, bark, berries, flowers, and roots. Herbal medicine remains a popular alternative throughout China and the Far East, and is growing in popularity throughout the United States.

Herbal Remedies Info is your online source for information and resources on natural home remedies. Here you can Look up information on specific herbs, discover remedies for common ailments and learn to make your own soothing oils, infusions, tinctures, and salves. You will also find helpful tips for selecting and storing herbs and information about vitamins and minerals found in common herbs.

Our content is constantly revised and updated so check back regularly for the latest information. Our site contains over 500 pages of content covering all aspects of herbs and herbal remedies. The best way to find the information you are looking for, is to use the Site Search button from the navigation menu which is available from any page. You can also search all our pages using the search box at the top of this page.

Gypsywort

Gypsywort is an herbal plant that but has no culinary purposes at all but rather is used for industrial and medicinal purposes. This plant originated in Europe and Northwest Asia. Gypsywort's most important properties come from the stem and the leaves. These were used for the astringents, sedatives, anxiety, tuberculosis, and heart palpitations.

Gypsywort
Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Magnoliophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Lamiales
Family	Lamiaceae
Genus	Lycopus
Species	L. europaeus

Industrially, Gypsywort was extremely beneficial in making a permanent black dye. Oddly enough that is how it got its name, the Gypsies were said to have stained their skin with this black dye like substance so they would resemble Africans or Egyptians while they were performing their "magic."

Gypsywort is also called Lycopus europaeus; it has no known hazards and usually grows near rivers, streams and ravines. You will likely find this plant from June to September but the seeds are the most ripe between August and October. A unique physical characteristic of this plant is that is has both male and female organs so it self fertile, pollinated by insects and bees. In a survival situation, the root of the Herbal Info could be eaten raw or cooked.

The flowers of this plant are used for astringents and sedatives but also have an iodine property to it that is commonly used for hyperthyroidism. The entire plant has been known to slow and strengthen heart contractions, treat coughs and bleeding from the lungs, and excessive periods, and the leaves are great for cleaning wounds. Heart disturbances and nervousness can be eased by the use of Gypsywort. The part that is rendered for use is the flowering plant itself and the best time to gather these is June - September. It is a sedative, because it reduces the pulse rate in conditions involving an overactive thyroid gland by reducing the activity of iodine. It was once prescribed for hyperthyroidism and related disorders such as Basedow's disease.

Gypsywort can be purchased at your local store or ordered online and does have some outstanding benefits although not much culinary use. It is a very uncommon and not very often spoken about form of herb. Some use it with aromatherapy and a mixture of many other oils and fragrances. Bugleweed is very closely related to Gypsywort and for medicinal purposes the two are very often closely linked to each other.

Phytochemistry and pharmacology

Constituents found in most ginseng species include Herbal Vitamins, polysaccharides, peptides, polyacetylenic alcohols, and fatty acids. Most pharmacological actions are attributed to the ginsenosides that belong to a group of compounds known as steroidal saponins, steroid molecules with attached sugar residues. More than 20 ginsenosides have been isolated.

The pharmacological profile of ginseng is broad and incompletely understood because of the many heterogeneous and sometimes opposing effects of different ginsenosides. The underlying mechanism of action of the ginsenosides appears to be similar to that for steroid hormones. Actions on virtually every organ system have been described.

One of the most promising therapeutic uses of ginseng surrounds the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and blood glucose. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, ginseng lowered postprandial blood glucose compared to placebo when taken 40 minutes before or at the same time as a glucose challenge. In healthy subjects without diabetes mellitus, ginseng lowered postprandial blood glucose compared to placebo only if taken 40 minutes before glucose challenge.

Data from animal studies suggest that ginseng may have beneficial effects in the central nervous system. Herbal Medication prevented scopolamine-induced memory deficits in laboratory animals by increasing central cholinergic activity. They may also protect neurons from ischemic damage and facilitate learning and memory by enhancing nerve growth. The effect of ginseng on pain pathways needs further investigation. Ginsenosides had non-opioid-mediated analgesic properties in laboratory animals, but attenuated the analgesic effects of opiates. Ginsenosides appear to modulate neurotransmission through -aminobutyric acid (GABA), and by inhibiting neurotransmitter reuptake.

The results of investigations of the cardiovascular effects of ginseng are often contradictory, depending on the compounds tested and the organ system in which they are tested. Stimulation of endogenous nitric oxide release has been implicated in the cardiovascular and antioxidant effects of ginsenosides. In humans, normal doses of ginseng did not appear to affect blood pressure and heart rate, although extremely high doses were associated with hypertension. Ginseng may protect against myocardial reperfusion injury. In a preliminary study, cardioplegia solution containing ginseng extract improved post-bypass myocardial function in patients having mitral valve surgery.

Ginsenosides have anticarcinogenic and immunomodulatory effects. Several individual ginsenosides suppressed tumor cell growth, induced Herbal Acne Treatment, regulated programmed cell death, and inhibited metastasis. Results of a cohort study showed that ginseng consumers had a lower risk for several different types of cancer compared to those who did not consume ginseng, suggesting that ginseng may have non-organ-specific anticarcinogenic effects. Ginsenosides also enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in laboratory animals- and potentiated the response to vaccination in humans.

The pharmacokinetics of ginsenosides Rg1, Re, and Rb2 have been investigated in rabbits. The elimination half-lives of these three ginsenosides ranged from 0.8 hr for ginsenoside Re to 7.4 hr for ginsenoside Rb2. The degree of protein binding may explain the wide variation in half-lives between different ginsenosides.

Herbal Health Information: Bergamot, grapefruit, petitgrain essential oils

Bergamot

Bergamot’s distinctive citrus smell helps lift a blue mood, builds confidence and self-esteem. Coming from the Citrus bergamia tree its oil is mechanically cold-pressed from the fruit’s rind. The finest quality oil however is hand-pressed.

It is believed that Christopher Columbus introduced the fruit to Italy. Originally only found in the Bergamo (northern Italy) area, it is now grown in southern Italy and by the North African coast. Its use was first dated back in 1677 as a German herbal medicine for numerous disorders and diseases. Today it is used to flavor cakes and pastries and gives the flavor and fragrance to Earl Grey tea. Its refreshing aroma found in many perfumes and colognes is always welcome on a hot, sticky day. Emotionally it is extremely useful in lifting spirits, decreasing anxiety and treating depression by calming the nervous system. Finally, it also has antiseptic, antispasmodic and deodorizing properties.

Bergamot is highly photosensitive (increases the skin’s sensitivity to the UV rays in sunlight) and so its use should be avoided before going out into the sun.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit as its Latin name, Citrus paradisi suggests has a refreshing, uplifting and cheery smell which makes one think of sunny days and clear blue skies on a paradise island. As with other citrus fruits it comes from a small evergreen tree with never-ending star-shaped flowers with glossy, oval-shaped leaves.

The present day grapefruit is a cross between sweet orange and pomelo (also known as shaddock); an ancient type of grapefruit brought to Spain in the 12th century by Arab traders, from Asia and in the 18th century, to the West Indies by Captain Shaddock. Today there are many varieties of the sweet citrus fruit, including the pink grapefruit grown in Florida. Other major producers of the fruit are California, Israel and Brazil.

The oil is obtained from the fresh peel of the fruit, by means of a process known as cold expression; which involves rupturing the fresh peel and pressing out the essence or zest. This procedure produces a pale yellow or greenish liquid with a sweet, fresh citrus aroma. It can also be obtained through steaming distillation of the peel and fruit pulp; giving a similar chemical composition as the expressed oil with a sweeter and less zingy fragrance.

The expressed oil is a mild photosensitizer, which may result in brown blotches. Therefore, it is advised to avoid direct UV rays (sunlight or sun-beds) for approximately 12 hours after use.

All citrus oils, except Bergamot have a short shelf life and at bottling, a small amount of antioxidant preservative is added to delay the oxidation (the oil chemically combines to oxygen changing its structure). This results due to the oil being exposed to air. Once oxidized there is a higher risk of the oil triggering an allergic skin reaction. Therefore, it should be used within six months of the initial opening.

Grapefruit oil is believed to reduce cellulite and fluid retention, as well as reducing muscle aches and pains when massaged into the affected area. It helps drain toxic waste, however the massage itself also stimulates lymphatic drainage, which also helps the removal of present toxins. Its sweet smell may also be used in skin lotions, hair tonics and bath oils. Sparse use is good for oily skin, scalp conditions and acne since it has a gentle astringent and tonic effect. Finally, its zingy fragrance brings about a feeling of lightness and wellbeing.

Petitgrain

Petitgrain can ease tension, anxiety, mild depression and other stress-related disorders. Being produced by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree Citrus aurantium var or Citrus bigaradia. Native to Southeast Asia, the tree now grows throughout the Mediterranean and sub-tropic areas worldwide.

Originally around Grasse, France the oil was produced in distilleries from the unripe oranges when they were the size of cherries (petitgrains which means ‘little grains’). However this proved to be uneconomical and so the oil began being extracted from the leaves and twigs of the orange tree instead.

The pale yellow or amber liquid with its reminiscent aroma of orange blossoms with a bitter, woody-herbaceous undertone is usually perceived as being cooling, relaxing and uplifting. Previously the oil was solely used in perfumery but it has now been found to have properties, which help nervous tension, anxiety, palpitations and mild depression. Working best when a few drops are added to a warm bath or in conjunction with a massage. It also has antiseptic properties.