Godhaer.co.uk :: (Total) detox

herbs and total detoxification

why you need to Detoxify your body

In hebal medicine, herbs are often prescribed to totally detoxify all the organs to normalize the function of the body and give renewed vitality - body and mind

"People now carry within their bodies a modern-day chemical cocktail derived from industrial chemicals, pesticides, food additives, heavy metals, anesthetics, and the residues of pharmaceutical, legal, and illegal drugs, and residues from your mercury tooth fillings."

Each year people are exposed to thousands of toxic chemicals and pollutants in the earth's atmosphere, water, food pesevatives, household detegents, spays and agicultual pesticides, etc. These pollutants manifest themselves in a variety of symptoms, including decreased immune function, neurotoxicity, hormonal dysfunction, psychological disturbances, and even abnormal cell formation. Detoxification therapy helps to rid the body of chemicals and pollutants and can facilitate a return to health.

Detoxification is the body's natural process for eliminating or neutralizing toxins via the liver, the kidneys, the urine, the feces, exhalation, and perspiration. Yet, as a result of the industrial revolution and the post-World War II petrochemical revolution, toxins have accumulated in the human system faster than they can be eliminated. People now carry within their bodies a modern-day chemical cocktail derived from industrial chemicals, pesticides, food additives, heavy metals, anesthetics, and the residues of pharmaceutical drugs, legal drugs (alcohol, tobacco, caffeine), and illegal drugs (heroin, cocaine, marijuana, E, speed).

Today people are exposed to chemicals in far greater concentrations than were previous generations. For example, over 69 million Americans live in areas that exceed smog standards; most drinking water contains over seven hundred chemicals, including excessive levels of lead; some three thousand chemicals are added to the food supply; and as many as ten thousand chemicals in the form of solvents, emulsifiers, and preservatives are used in food processing and storage, which can remain in the body for years; to make matters worse, food and product labels do not always list every ingredient. When people consume these foods - especially seafood, meat, and poultry - they ingest all the chemicals and pesticides that have remained as contaminants accumulating in the food chain.

Everyday products such as petrol (gasoline), paint, household cleansers, cosmetics, pesticides , and dry cleaning fluid also pose a serious threat because the body cannot easily break them down. At the same time, ecological changes in the environment are occurring faster than the human organism can adapt to them. As the earth becomes more and more polluted, the body inadvertently becomes a filter that "traps" these pollutants.

Sites of toxic accumulation in the body

"The current level of chemicals in the food and water supply and the indoor and outdoor environment has lowered our threshold of resistance to disease and has altered our body's metabolism, causing enzyme dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances," says Marshall Mandell, M.D., father of the field of bioecologic medicine.

According to Zane Gard, M.D., of Beaverton, Oregon, bioaccumulation (a buildup in the body of foreign substances) seriously compromises physiological and psychological health. Over the last ten years, hundreds of studies have demonstrated the dangers to health from toxic bioaccumulation.4

"A body with a healthy immune system, efficient organs of elimination and detoxification, and a sound circulatory and nervous system can handle a great deal of toxicity," states Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O., of London, England. "But if they have been damaged from chronic exposure to environmental pollutants, restoring these functions, organs, and systems can be accomplished only through detoxification therapies, including fasting, chelation, and nutritional, herbal, and homeopathic methods, which accelerate the body's own natural cleansing processes. These therapies will dominate medical thinking in the years ahead."

References

1. Environmental Protection Agency. "EPA Data Show Steady Progress in Cleaning Nation's Air." Environmental News (Oct, 1992). As reported in "Did You Know" Our Toxic Times 3 no. 12 (Dec, 1992):5.

2. Environmental Protection Agency. "130 Cities Exceed Lead Levels for Drinking Water." Environmental News (Oct, 1992). As reported in "Did You Know" Our Toxic Times 3 no. 12 (Dec, 1992):3.

3. Saifer, P., M.D. Detox. Los Angeles: Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc., 1984.

4. Schnare, D. W. The Unpolluting of Man. Los Angeles: Foundation Essay Series Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education, n.d. Video.

Benefits of Detoxification

"I believe that the process of detoxification through special cleansing diets as well as juice and water fasts is the missing link to rejuvenating the body and preventing such chronic diseases as cancer, cardiovascular problems, arthritis, diabetes, and obesity," says Elson Haas, M.D., Director of the Marin Clinic of Preventive Medicine and Health Education in San Rafael, California. "The modern diet with excess animal proteins, fats, caffeine, alcohol, and chemicals inhibits the optimum function of our cells and tissues. The cleansing of toxins and waste products will restore optimum function and vitality."

Alan Hopking has practised juice fasting regularly for over twenty five years, and advises his patients to undertake some form of detoxification periodically to clear wastes and dead cells and to revitalize the body's natural functions and healing capacities. He points out that along with greater mental clarity, the most important and longest lasting effect of detoxification therapy is the reduction of stress on the immune system. Other benefits can include increased vitality, reduced blood pressure and blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides), and an improved assimilation of vitamins and minerals. Detoxification is instrumental for maintenance of the normal function and integrity of the intestinal flora, and can enhance the natural ability of the body to resist infections, allergies, and skin disorders. Alan Hopking adds that most people will feel mentally and physically rejuvenated after detoxification therapy, with a corresponding reduction in symptoms and disease.

How Do You Know if Your Body Requires Detoxification?

According to David Steinman, former representative of the public interest at the National Academy of Sciences, everyone has a specific level of tolerance that cannot be exceeded if good health is to be maintained. If the amount of toxins within the body stays below that level, the body can usually adapt and rid itself of these. "However," says Steinman, "when the system is overwhelmed, the body's defense mechanism malfunctions, and symptoms such as fatigue, confusion, aggression, or mental disorder may occur."

Alan Hopking says that great care must be taken to ensure the safe and effective removal of toxins, and any detailed detoxification therapy should be administered only after a consultation with a qualified health professional.
Indications that the body may need detoxification are headaches, joint pain, recurrent respiratory problems, back pain, allergy symptoms, insomnia, mood changes, and food allergies. Conditions such as arthritis, constipation, hemorrhoids, sinus congestion, ulcers, psoriasis, skin conditions and acne, growths, chronic illnesses and abnormal cell formation strongly suggest the need for detoxification, and the support of Godshaer's Total Detox Herbal Tonic (see a description of this tonic below).

Some Preliminary Cautions

According to Alan Hopking, a key question to ask yourself is: am I well enough to undertake rapid and active detoxification or should I string the process out and do the job slowly? If a person is robust and vital, a more vigorous program may be required than if the person is unwell and somewhat fragile in health. Mr Hopking recommends that each individual seek the advice of a qualified health professional to help select the appropriate degree of intensity. People who are recovering drug users, alcoholics, diabetics, or who have eating disorders should not apply any method without strict medical supervision.

It is also important to note that detoxification may not be appropriate for individuals who are underweight or physically weak, or for those people with a hypothyroid or a hypoglycemic condition. Anyone with a cancerous condition, or who is just recovering from surgery, should always consult a qualified health professional before any detoxification program is carried out.

Finally, people should know what to expect during detoxification . Mr Hopking states, "Early on you could develop a headache and furred tongue. As the weeks pass your skin should become clearer and smoother, although it may be spotty for a while. Your eyes will become brighter, your brain sharper, digestion more efficient, energy levels raised, and you may well regain a sense of youthful clarity." But anyone can undertake the Detox Tonic program, says Alan Hopking, either alongside the detox therapy chosen by their holistic practitioner, or alone, bearing these precautions in mind. If you go on a detox, to have the support and natural strength of specific herbs to cleanse the various organs and systems of our body, there's nothing like the Godshaer Detox Method, developed for this purpose by Alan Hopking who's been a herbal practitioner for 25 years.

Fasting and Diets

Fasting programs and specific dietary regimens are some of the easiest and most inexpensive and effective methods of detoxification. They involve very little cost other than the purchase of healthy food. Results depend upon both the patient and the length of the fast. Fasting is often combined with enemas and bowel stimulation for the purpose of ridding the body of bacteria and toxins trapped in the bowels. And while a detoxification program is not primarily concerned with weight loss, by introducing a more efficient and healthier way to eat, weight loss can be the result. It is important to note again that before embarking on any kind of fast or diet, one should always consult with a qualified holistic health professional.

Long fasts require medical supervision as well as prior assessment as to levels of nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, to insure that deficiency does not occur. Short weekend fasts are safe for most people, although advice from an appropriate health care professional experienced in detoxification is advisable.
There are basically two types of fasts - water and juice:

Juice Fasting : This is emphasised by Alan Hopking. He prescribes vegetable juices (equal parts carrot-diluted with water 1:1 - and celery and other vegetables and fruits, including ginger) for detoxification. If desired, green vegetables such as green beans, zucchini, watercress, and parsley can be added. At night you can combine garlic, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, and olive oil. This is given at bedtime because the liver, a major organ for detoxification, is most active between 11:00 P.M. and 1:00 A.M., according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Weekend Water Fast : A water-only fast (twenty-four to thirty-six hours) starting Friday evening and ending Sunday morning (or as an alternative, just all day Saturday). Make sure that not less than four and not more than eight pints of water are consumed during each day of the fast. On Sunday, have a day of raw foods (fruit/salad only, well chewed, plus the recommended amounts of drinking water).

Weekend Mono diet: A full weekend monodiet beginning Friday night and extending through to Sunday evening, relying on a single food such as grapes, apples, pears (best choices if you have an allergy history); papaya (ideal if digestive problems are present); or brown rice, buckwheat, millet, or potatoes (skin and all) boiled and eaten whenever desired. Up to a pound (dry weight) of any grain such as rice or millet may be eaten daily; taste can be made palatable with the addition of a little lemon juice and olive oil. Or one may eat up to three pounds of potatoes daily. Take 2tsp (10ml) Godshaer's Total Detox Herbal Tonic during these important cleansing processes.

According to Dr. Chaitow, "Whichever type of detoxification modality you choose, make sure you rest, keep warm, and don't have a very strenuous schedule; this should be a time in which you allow all available energy to focus on the cleansing and repairing processes of detoxification."

Remember, eat slowly, chew well, don't drink with meals, and consume at least two pints of liquid daily between meals. Also, take one high potency multimineral/multivitamin capsule daily and three garlic capsules, and a daily acidophilus supplement for bowel detox support.

When the tongue no longer becomes furred during detoxification and headaches no longer appear, these intensive detoxification weekends can be spaced apart - three a month and then two a month and then, as maintenance, once a month thereafter.

Throughout these programmes get the support and benefit of Godshaer's Total Detox Herbal Medicine. It helps the cleansing process.

Detoxification Support

You can do a number of things during the process to help aid the natural cleansing ability of the body. The following can be used beneficially while on Godshaer's (total) Detox Tonic.

Hydrotherapy: Epsom salts baths or wet sheet packs, once weekly.

Skin brushing: To assist the skin elimination function, daily.

Stretching and relaxation exercises: Practice daily.

Aerobic exercise (if appropriate): Brisk walking, jogging, dancing, etc., daily except during a fast period.

Massage and manual lymphatic drainage: As often as available, twice weekly if possible. Ask your partner to give you an intuitive massage, use lavender, ylang ylang, or a mixture of oils in almond or sunflower oil.

Aromatherapy: Use of appropriate (to your condition) essential aromatherapy oils, in baths or as part of massage.

Breathing, relaxation, and meditation methods: Daily for at least ten to fifteen minutes, twice if possible.

Alan Hopking also has this advice for long-term detoxification : "Avoid (transmute) the toxic 'imperil' of emotional stress, anger, irritation, hatred, impatience, jealousy, criticism and other acid and sour states of mind. These cause disease conditions in the body. Learn to accept yourself. Enjoy your life. Be happy alone and with others. Observe beauty all round you. Live in the present (not in a bitter and regretful past or a frustrated fantasy of a fabulous future). Leave your grief, it does you no good (transform it into love). Watch and listen to birds. Stand and look at the sky. Walk in nature (with your bare feet), hug a tree (feel its power and purity as consciousness). Walk by the sea, a lake, a stream (and dream happy dreams). Dance or skip a little and often (anywhere, whether you feel like it or not, whatever your age); feel its lift, its pleasure. Feel the Eternal Youth inside you. Smile often; laugh heartily. Smell a flower."

Colon Cleansing

Colonic irrigation is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to cleanse the large intestine of accumulated toxins and waste products by drawing toxins from the blood and lymph back into the colon for excretion. With the help of a trained professional and a colonic machine, purified water (which may contain vitamins, herbs, friendly bacteria, or oxygen) is introduced directly into the rectum. Colon therapy can be combined with massage, nutritional programs, and special diets to help cleanse the bowels and aid in the treatment of parasitic infections. It is clear that the Detox Tonic program recommended by Alan Hopking is more benefical long term, since you remain on the tonic for between one to six months. See below for why this is so. To cleanse the colon holistically use ColonCleanse and MoveMore 1 or 2 .

The Lymphatic System and Breathing

Lymph is a clear fluid containing lymphocytes (T-cells and B-cells of the immune system) which circulate through the channels of the lymphatic system carrying waste away from all parts of the body to the lymph nodes. The lymph nodes filter out the wastes in the lymph, particularly bacteria, preventing it from entering the bloodstream, while at the same time allowing the lymphocytes to pass through.

Jack Shields, M.D., a lymphologist from Santa Barbara, California, conducted a study on the effects of breathing on the lymphatic system. Using cameras inside the body, he found that deep, diaphragmatic breathing stimulated the cleansing of the lymph system by creating a vacuum effect which sucked the lymph through the bloodstream. This increased the rate of toxic elimination by as much as fifteen times the normal pace.9 With Godshaer's Detox Tonic and deep breathing the lymphatic system is stimulated by breaking open sealed and calcified vessels, increasing blood circulation, reducing oedema and carrying away waste products which have built up in the tissues, thereby inducing detoxification. See LymphCleanse Herbal Tonic . For improving lung function, see our LungShield

Vitamin C Therapy

Each year, more and more studies on vitamin C confirm its importance in healing and maintaining health. The relationship between vitamin C and body toxicity is complex. For example, if a person is deficient in vitamin C, he or she becomes far more susceptible to environmental pollutants. Conversely, exposure to various toxins, like lead or benzene, will deplete the person's vitamin C stores. Evidence also suggests that vitamin C deficiency hampers the body's own detoxification process.

As a detoxification agent, vitamin C combines with certain toxins in the body and destroys them.5 According to Robert Cathcart, III, M.D., of Los Altos, California, vitamin C functions as a free-radical scavenger, neutralizing the immunosuppressive toxins produced by infectious diseases. Dr. Cathcart has successfully treated over eleven thousand patients with vitamin C therapy, and his results have been widely published in professional journals. Alan Hopking is a strong believer in the power of Vitamin C and recommends it at a higher dose during his Detox program.

Chelation Therapy

Our Detox tonic can be taken to clean the blood and clear toxins from the tissues and blood vessels. In chelation therapy, a synthetic amino acid known as EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is administered intravenously and binds to various toxic metals in the blood, such as lead, cadmium, and aluminum. The toxins are then flushed from the body through the kidneys. Although it has been used primarily in the past to treat cases of lead poisoning, many doctors have found that EDTA can remove the calcium and plaque present in the walls of arteries in atherosclerosis, the major cause of heart disease. Our Detox is designed to do this over a longer period of time. For this purpose it may be usefully combined with Godshaer's Heart and Circulation Tonic .

Sauna, Vitamins, Exercise and Juice

A good exercise routine prior to entering the sauna is useful. Sauna "sweat-out" is of value. Hyperthermia can be combined with detoxification. Hyperthermia can affect numerous body systems, including the cardiovascular, endocrine, neurological, neuromuscular, bronchopulmonary, blood, skin, and immune. This helps remove fat-stored toxins from the body aided by a good detox remedy such as Godshaer's Detox Tonic. The Weight Loss Tonic is also designed to remove toxins in the fat. "Heat stress," says Dr. Gard, "can also remove calcium deposits from the blood vessels and break down scar tissue from their walls." Other studies demonstrate that hyperthermia can remove chemicals such as DDE (a metabolite of DDT), PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls), and dioxin from fat cells.7

Daily nutritional supplementation including replacement vitamins, minerals, trace elements, oil, and amino acids are recommended.

With our Detox Tonic, most patients notice increased energy and mental clarity, and many also report a decrease in body aches and pains, positive changes in hearing and vision, and changes in the texture of skin and hair. Most experience greater emotional stability and an overall sense of well-being.

Exercise, adequate fluid intake along with carrot juice and other green juices are recommended, and proper breathing is emphasized throughout this program.

Detoxification Baths

For poisoning from irradiated food (Cobalt 60): Dissolve two pounds of baking soda in a tub of very hot water, and sit in it. As the water begins to cool down, the toxins pass through the skin by osmosis.

For general radiation: Add one pound each of sea salt and baking soda to hot water and sit in the bath until the water has cooled down.

For heavy metals, insecticides, and carbon monoxide: Add one cup of Clorox? to a hot bath and soak in it until the temperature cools down. This method can help eliminate environmental toxins such as lead, aluminum, insecticides, and the chemicals released from car exhaust.

Herbs for a Total Detox

The signature of a herbal tonic is to clear, detox, every organ and system of the body. This means that we need in this tonic a herb or a number of herbs to do this very specific work. We need herbs for each organ and system to detox the cells and stores of the organs. This means we need to clear the kidneys and bladder. The sex organs and reproductive system. The pancreas, liver, stomach and intestinal system. The heart, circulation, lymph glands and whole lymphatic system. The spleen. The skin tissues (the largest organ of the body). The lungs. The bones and marrow. The brain and whole nervous system (motor and autonomic). This is a big task. But well within the remit of herbal medicine.

Let's carefully choose herbs for each and every system for detoxification purposes. Herbs such as yellow dock root (cholagogue; psoriasis and skin problems; blood cleanser, liver and gall bladder), Chinese Sheng Ma tuber (diaphoretic, detoxification; common cold with sore throat, measles, headache; LU, SP, ST, LI), asafoetida (expectorant; digestive, anthelmintic - worms, parasites; detoxification, tumours; pungent, bitter, warm; LIV SP ST), milk thistle seed (hepatic, galactogogue, reversal of toxic liver damage as well as protection from potential hepatotoxic agents, silymarin has been shown to reverse the effects of highly toxic alkaloids), cork tree bark (detoxification; damp-heat excess, jaundice, urination painful (cystitis), dark leucorrhoea, vaginal swelling and pain, arthritic and rheumatic pain; skin diseases; yin deficiency; nocturnal emissions; dysentery, enteritis, cystitis, urethritis, lowers blood pressure and blood sugar, diarrhoea, acute urinary infection, eczema, detoxification; bitter, cold; KI BL LI), butcher's broom root (deobstruent, aperient; oedema (dropsy), urinary obstructions, nephritis, bladder gravel, kidney stones, scrofulous tumours, respiratory catarrh, shortness of breath; cleansing and opening (detoxification), broken bones, joint dislocation; treatment and prevention of varicose veins and haemorrhoids; it promotes venous circulation in the lower limbs (indicated for varicose ulcers) and has anti-inflammatory properties; active constituent: ruscogenins), barbat root (boils, diuretic, reduces swellings; liver disease, detoxification; hepatitis, cirrhosis, ascites, abscesses, ulcers in stomach and lungs; abnormal cell formation in lungs, stomach and intestines; bitter, cold; LIV ST), black walnut leaves and husks (liver dysfunction, skin eruptions exudative, vermifuge), Buddha's medicinal fruit (myrobalan) (detoxification, astringent, anti-diarrhoeic, haemostatic; helps concentration, forgetfulness, mental attentiveness, chronic diarrhoea and dysentery; prolapse of rectum; asthma, cough - persistent and gasping, hoarse voice; leucorrhoea, menorrhagia; bitter, sour, warm; LU, LI), ginkgo leaf (circulation (peripheral vascular disease), intermittent claudication, cerebral insufficiency, ageing, senility, Alzheimer's; LU KI), poke root , cleavers herb , agastache , yucca , queen's delight are some of the selected herbs.

Dose and Combination Treatment

This herbal detox therapy has a wide and thorough action. Such a tonic should be taken for a month for general detox, or up to 6 months if there's chronic illness or abnormal cell formation, or even longer for a sustained action thoughout the system.
This tonic may be taken with other of Godshaer's ABC medicines: Reasons to take other herbal tonic medicines:
1. To cleanse and rejouvenate the lymphatic system, find out about the LymphCleanse.
2. If there are suspected parasites in your body, find out about Worm Less .
2. To gently brush the intestinal system, take ColonCleanse Powder .
3. If there's chronic constipation you should also take a dose of MoveMore 2 every night.
4. If there's liver disease, you should take LiverDetox as well.
5. If there's chronic diarrhoea, you should find out about herbs for this condition as well.
6. Total nutritional support with our ABCDaily Powder

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References
5. Schnare, D. W.; et al. "Evaluation of a Detoxification Regimen for Fat Stored Xenobiotics."Medical Hypotheses 9 no. 3 (1982): 265-282.
6. Schnare, D. W.; et al. "Evaluation of a Detoxification Regimen for Fat Stored Xenobiotics."Medical Hypotheses 9 no. 3 (1982): 265-282.
7. Schnare, D. W.; et al. "Evaluation of a Detoxification Regimen for Fat Stored Xenobiotics."Medical Hypotheses 9 no. 3 (1982): 265-282.
8. Gard, Z., M.D.; and Brown, E. "Literature Review and Comparison Studies of Sauna/ Hyperthermia in Detoxification." Townsend Letter for Doctors 107 (Jun, 1992): 470-478.
9. Shields, J. W., M.D. "Lymph, lymph glands, and homeostasis." Lymphology 25 no. 4 (Dec, 1992): 147-153.

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Our herbal tonic medicines are carefully prepared on a personal and individual basis for your healing by medical herbalist Alan Hopking MA MNIMH MRCHM FINEH. Only whole herbs are used in our herbal medicines. Nothing else is added. If you have symptoms which you consider might be helped with herbal medicine please contact herbal practitioner Alan Hopking for a friendly confidential professional consultation. Telphone using our freephone 0500 90 96 97.
Once you have received your herbal prescription you can contact Alan Hopking at any time for more free advice (preferably by email). When you have completed your bottle of herbal medicine and if you want a repeat prescription you are requested to phone or email so that your progress can be assessed and adjustments made if necessary so that there is no break in your treatment. To order or re-order, click here.

UK Government Dept - MHRA

General advice to consumers on the use of herbal remedies from the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

From the website of the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (www.mhra.gov.uk) Department of Health, UK

• Remember that herbal remedies are medicines. As with any other medicine they are likely to have an effect on the body and should be used with care.
• Herbal remedies may sometimes interact with other medicines. This makes it particularly important to tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking a herbal remedy with other medicines such as prescribed medicines (those provided through your doctor or dentist).
• Treat with caution any suggestion that a herbal remedy is '100% safe' or is 'safe because it is natural'. Many plants, trees, fungi and algae can be poisonous to humans. It is worth remembering that many pharmaceuticals have been developed or derived from these sources because of the powerful compounds they contain. Any medicine, including herbal remedies, which have an effect on the body should be used with care.
• Treat with caution any herbalist or other person who supplies herbal remedies if they are unwilling or unable to provide written information, in English, listing the ingredients of the herbal remedy they are providing.
• If you are due to have a surgical operation you should always remember to tell your doctor about any herbal remedy that you are taking.
• Anyone who has previously experienced any liver complaint, or any other serious health complaint is advised not to take any herbal remedy without speaking to their doctor first.

PRECAUTIONS:

Pregnant/Breast-feeding mothers
Few conventional medicines have been established as safe to take during pregnancy and it is generally recognised that no medicine should be taken unless the benefit to the mother outweighs any possible risk to the foetus. This rule should also be applied to herbal medicinal products. However, herbal products are often promoted to the public as being “natural” and completely “safe” alternatives to conventional medicines. Some herbal ingredients that specifically should be avoided or used with caution during pregnancy. As with conventional medicines, no herbal products should be taken during pregnancy unless the benefit outweighs the potential risk.

Volatile Oils

Many herbs are traditionally reputed to be abortifacient and for some this reputation can be attributed to their volatile oil component.(6) A number of volatile oils are irritant to the genito-urinary tract if ingested and may induce uterine contractions. Herbs that contain irritant volatile oils include ground ivy, juniper, parsley, pennyroyal, sage, tansy and yarrow. Some of these oils contain the terpenoid constituent, thujone, which is known to be abortifacient. Pennyroyal oil also contains the hepatotoxic terpenoid constituent, pulegone. A case of liver failure in a woman who ingested pennyroyal oil as an abortifacient has been documented.

Uteroactivity

A stimulant or spasmolytic action on uterine muscle has been documented for some herbal ingredients including blue cohosh, burdock, fenugreek, golden seal, hawthorn, jamaica dogwood, motherwort, nettle, raspberry, and vervain. Herbal Teas Increased awareness of the harmful effects associated with excessive tea and coffee consumption has prompted many individuals to switch to herbal teas. Whilst some herbal teas may offer pleasant alternatives to tea and coffee, some contain pharmacologically active herbal ingredients, which may have unpredictable effects depending on the quantity of tea consumed and strength of the brew. Some herbal teas contain laxative herbal ingredients such as senna, frangula, and cascara. In general stimulant laxative preparations are not recommended during pregnancy and the use of unstandardised laxative preparations is particularly unsuitable. A case of hepatotoxicity in a newborn baby has been documented in which the mother consumed a herbal tea during pregnancy as an expectorant. Following analysis the herbal tea was reported to contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are known to be hepatotoxic.

Breast-feeding mothers

A drug substance taken by a breast-feeding mother presents a hazard if it is transferred to the breast milk in pharmacologically or toxicologically significant amounts. Limited information is available regarding the safety of conventional medicines taken during breast-feeding. Much less information exists for herbal ingredients, and generally the use of herbal remedies is not recommended during lactation.

Paediatric Use

Herbal remedies have traditionally been used to treat both adults and children. Herbal remedies may offer a milder alternative to some conventional medicines, although the suitability of a herbal remedy needs to be considered with respect to quality, safety and efficacy. Herbal remedies should be used with caution in children and medical advice should be sought if in doubt. Chamomile is a popular remedy used to treat teething pains in babies. However, chamomile is known to contain allergenic sesquiterpene lactones and should therefore be used with caution. The administration of herbal teas to children needs to be considered carefully and professional advice may be needed.

Perioperative use

The need for patients to discontinue herbal medicinal products prior to surgery has recently been proposed. The authors considered eight commonly used herbal medicinal products (echinacea, ephedra, garlic, ginkgo, ginseng, kava, St John’s Wort, valerian). On the evidence available they concluded that the potential existed for direct pharmacological effects, pharmacodynamic interactions and pharmacokinetic interactions. The need for physicians to have a clear understanding of the herbal medicinal products being used by patients and to take a detailed history was highlighted. The American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) has advised patients to tell their doctor if they are taking herbal products before surgery and has reported that a number of anaesthesiologists have reported significant changes in heart rate or blood pressure in some patients who have been taking herbal medicinal products including St John’s Wort, ginkgo and ginseng. MCA is currently investigating a serious adverse reaction associated with the use of ginkgo prior to surgery. In this case, the patient who was undergoing hip replacement experienced uncontrolled bleeding thought to be related to the use of ginkgo.

From the website of the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (www.mhra.gov.uk) Department of Health, UK

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Godshaer Herbal Clinic
Advanced Botanical Centre of Medicine
Ducking Stool Lane
Christchurch
Dorset
BH23 1DS
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Freephone UK 0500 90 96 97

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Disclaimer and pledge

As a professional herbal practitioner I am in practice in conformity with the laws of England and the 1968 Medicines Act. The UK legislative provisions for herbal medicine are to be found in the Medicines Act 1968, Section 12, paragraphs 1 & 2, and Section 56, paragraphs 1 & 2.

Section 12:1 specifies exemption for herbal medicines from licensing provided that they are supplied subsequent to private personal consultation. Section 12:2 exempts herbal medicines provided that they are produced according to standard traditional, non-industrial methods. It also specifies that no written claims may be made for the use of the remedy.

Therefore at Godshaer Herbalist no claims about any medical condition regarding the herbal medicines prescribed by Alan Hopking are made. Indeed, be it a doctor, surgeon or herbal practitioner, the successful outcome of our treatments cannot with any certainty be predicted, let alone guaranteed. Further, following UK and EU law, the information on this web site attach no medical claims and no claims concerning the medicinal herbs mentioned relating to any medical conditions listed. All the herbal prescriptions are unlicensed and made by Alan N. Hopking at the address of Godshaer Herbalist for patients of Alan N. Hopking.

I pledge that, I shall do all I can, using my knowledge of herbal medicines and natural treatment, to help you regain your deserved health.
Alan Hopking MA MNIMH MRCHM FINEH

All our herbal medicines are made from the raw herb at our dedicated clinic and dispensary in Ducking Stool Lane. We collect the fresh herbs, or import the dry herb. They are organic if at all possible. We only use whole herbs. We are against the use of standardized extracts, or the concentration of herbs by adding more of the active constituent. We recommend you do not use such products in any form (dry, in capsules or as tincture extracts). To use our herbal tonics you should follow the prescribed dose. Any side effects or problems should be reported to us.