The Complete Home Guide todiHseerabsse, Nsatural Healing, and Nutrition

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Consult your physician and a qualif ed herbalist for all treatment.

All the herbs mentioned in this book can be used by qualiﬁed

herbalists or can be sold over the counter in line with British laws.

However, laws do vary from country to country; therefore,

discrepancies may occur.

An A to Z of Diseases and Treatments

anemia

If the body does not have high-quality blood containing enough iron,

oxygen, and other nutrients, the body cannot sustain itself. Iron def ciency

very often does not show up on tests for anemia, as it is possible to have

normal hemoglobin levels and still be def cient in iron. Symptoms include

pale, ridged nails; brittle, wiry hair; constant fatigue; a sore tongue and

cracks at the corners of the mouth; poor general growth; a weak appetite

in children; and a weakened immune system, which leaves one open to

infection. The individual can feel tired and low. For a quick hemoglobin

test, look at the inner palm of your hand. Look at the lines— are they pale

or even white, or are they a good pink to red? Pale or white will indicate

low levels of hemoglobin. Women will be most likely to suffer from

anemia because of menstruation, so these symptoms should be watched

for and a good daily diet ensured. An average iron loss at menses is 15 mg

to 30 mg. Pregnant women need 130 mg daily, coupled with relatively

high amounts of folic acid, in the region of 700 mg. These nutrients are

best obtained from food and herbs because iron–folic acid pills frequently

cause zinc def ciency. This def ciency can cause a host of problems, just as

with iron and folic acid def ciency. It should be noted that supplements of

synthetic ferrous iron from the drugstore have a tendency to constipate

and are often unassimilable. Natural iron sources are able to burn up toxic

wastes in the body, f ushing the poisons out. Vegetarians are often low in

iron.

Foods rich in both iron and vitamin C help the absorption of iron

from food. They include cherries, black currants, apricots, grapes,

bananas, beets, globe artichokes, red kidney beans, watercress, black-

strap molasses, and carrots.

Tea and coffee drinking is very disruptive to iron absorption.

f Yellow dock root, chickweed leaf, mullein f ower, and pennyroyal leaf

are rich in iron.

f I have used nettle leaf and red raspberry leaf tea with carrot and beet

juice for patients who have been told they need a blood transfusion to

save their life but refuse to have one owing to their religious beliefs.

Home Guide to Herbs - davies