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Ask
Shonda
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FAQ
Disclaimer:
Shonda
is
NOT
a
doctor
or
other
licensed
healthcare
professional.
She
is
a
mother
who
has
long
used
herbal
and
nutritional
medicine
in
her
family.
Although
she
is
a
professional
family
herbalist
and
certified
childbirth
educator,
all
answers
to
questions
below
reflect
more
a
mother-to-mother
sharing
of
information
gathered
from
a
wide
variety
of
resources.
Shonda’s
answers
do
not
reflect
medical
advice
in
any
form
or
fashion
and
should
not
be
construed
as
such.
If
you
choose
to
utilize
any
of
the
therapies
Shonda
uses
or
recommends,
you
are
doing
as
you
are
called
to
do
by
God
–
personally
choosing
to
be
the
steward
of
your
body
rather
than
depending
upon
others
for
your
healthcare
decisions.
Some
of
the
questions
below
will
reflect
my
love
for
Tri-Light
Herbs
Alcohol-Free,
Glycerin-Based
TincTracts.
Please
understand
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I,
nor
my
business,
Naturally
Healthy,
receives
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money
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sales
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Tri-Light
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including
those
formulas
I
have
freely
given
Tri-Light
to
process
for
the
benefit
of
families.
Tri-Light
does
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me
a
nominal
fee
to
consult
with
their
company
on
the
development
of
new
formulas
as
well
as
provide
education
about
herb
use
for
their
customers.
They
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"say"
in
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direction
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the
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we
provide
and
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"say"
in
the
direction
of
our
business,
period;
therefore,
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see
here
is
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herb
consumer
education
they
are
simply
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access
and
provide
for
their
own
customers.
This
is
why
you
will
see
that
we
recommend
a
wide
variety
of
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and
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brands
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own
favorites.
We
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or
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we
provide.
FAQ
-
Archives
Archive
1
Herb Use Questions
Auto-Immune Disease and Echinacea
Q. If one has an autoimmune disease, such as Hashimotos or Lupus, can echinacea be taken safely when they have an illness? What about garlic and these diseases? So far I haven't been able to find any info on using immune booster, with autoimmune problems.
Love in Christ,
Valerie
A. Many herbalists are recommending caution when used in progressive systemic diseases, such as tuberculosis, leucosis, collagenosis, and multiple sclerosis, due to the contraindication warning in the German Commission E Monographs. I’ve not heard of any caution with Hashimoto’s but seem to recall some caution with folks with Lupus. The cautions are theoretical at this point, not hard evidence of a problem, but I would probably choose other herbs such as . Garlic is fine for everyone who can handle the smell and taste!
Calcium Supplements
Q. My husband has been diagnosed with osteopenia, which I believe is a pre-osteoporosis condition. He has had hip problems for years and is in need of a hip replacement, but cannot have that done until his bone density improves. The doctor wants him on calcium supplements (I think they suggested Calcium Boron with Magnesium), but I have heard that alot of Calcium that is purchased over the counter is not assimilated into our bodies. Do you have any suggestions? Dietary or Vitamin-wise?
Thank you so much for your time and ministry.
Laura
A. Laura, I prefer forms of chelated calcium, such as calcium citrate. For a good look at the various percentages for absorption of calcium products on the market, please see Dr. Michael Murray’s website,
www.doctormurray.com
and click on the Articles button to lead you to the article on calcium. I do know that vitamin D helps us to absorb almost 50% more calcium than we otherwise would, but we need to make certain we don’t overdo vitamin D, as it is fat-soluble and will build up in body tissues.
Constipation
Q. Please recommend a few products for my 74 year old mother. She has constant constipation due to many operations on her rectum. She does not eat much, mostly veggies due to an operation to have her tummy stapled 30 years ago. She is anemic a lot and has low potassium. If you can recommend a couple of supplements that may help her, that would be great. If I give her a lot of different bottles, she is more likely to not want to take them.
Thank You so much
God Bless,
Peggy
A. Peggy, I’m a little surprised that your mother is having significant constipation problems with a primarily vegetarian diet. Since diet is the major factor involved with constipation, the keys to regular bowel movements are adequate water intake (2 quarts daily) and a diet with plentiful amounts of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to provide fiber to keep the bowel in tip-top shape. If needing a supplement to help things along temporarily while changing the diet and water intake, something like Move-EZ from TriLight Herbs. For the anemia, I would probably choose Tri-Iron, which is an herbal iron supplement that won’t cause further constipation. Two easy vegetables to eat high in potassium are potatoes and bananas. Both the Move-EZ and the Tri Iron are liquid, glycerin-based products that taste great and are easy to absorb. You can purchase them directly from TriLight Herbs at
www.trilightherbs.com
or 1-800-HERB-KID.
Constipation in Children
Q. My question is concerning my 2 1/2 year old sister Mary-Margaret. She still nurses at bedtime and since about September she has had a lot of constipation. We try to get her to eat a lot of high fiber foods and lots of water, but she's not too keen on it. We're wondering if you can suggest any supplements to her diet, that she won't become dependent on, that would help her to go. Also, does her nursing have anything to do with her troubles?
Well, I guess that's all. Thank you very much for you time.
Sincerely,
Andrea
A. Andrea, breastfeeding would not cause constipation; in fact, breastmilk contains properties that help keep the bowel working smoothly and regularly. Even though I could recommend the LiquiLax or Move-EZ by TriLight Herbs as a supplemental help for the short term, the most responsible suggestion and the best one for your sister would be to encourage her to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and whole grains each day and perhaps flavor her water with a lemon wedge (my little ones think this is such a grown-up thing for them to be allowed to do). One apple each day, one bowl of oatmeal, cream of wheat, granola cereal, salads, etc are all healthful choices that are usually tasty enough for children to enjoy. If she doesn’t like them now, repeated introduction (not forced eating, just introduction through encouraging the trying of 1-3 bites) can help solve the finicky habits of most toddlers. You may have to experiment to find a wide enough variety of foods that she can enjoy throughout each week to avoid daily repetition that grows old for young’uns (and many of those of us out of the toddler phase). If you need to use the LiquiLax or Move-EZ temporarily or on an as needed basis, ½ teaspoon 3-4 times daily should gain the result desired within 1-2 days time. You can order directly from TriLight Herbs at
www.trilightherbs.com
or 1-800-HERB-KID.
Cough Syrups
Q. If you have a minute, could you answer a quick question for an old friend? Josh, David and I all have sore throats and fevers. Josh has had his fever since last Tuesday, nearly a whole week. He has been on Amoxicillin, Scout Out and Lungs Plus since Friday. He is still coughing constantly, and his temp is OK in mornings but up about 1-2 degrees in the evening. David got the bug on Friday, has been on Scout out and Lungs plus since then, and Cefzil since Sunday. I got mine on Saturday, and have been on Amoxicillin. Scout Out and Lungs Plus since Sunday. Why am I seeing so little positive effect? I am giving the Scout Out 4-6 times a day. I don’t think this is the flu, since it didn’t hit Josh all at once; he had a sore throat for several days before the fever started. Should I try a mustard plaster or onion poultice for the cough? I have never done that before, but I am getting desperate. Mine is a dry, gut-wrenching cough. Josh has a wetter cough. David has just started coughing. Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Thank you very much
Heidi
A. Heidi, actually, our family has had this bug as well. I’m sitting here typing while recovering myself from just such a dry, gut-wrenching cough. It took 5-7 days for each of my children to fully recover. We have a couple with a periodic cough still. I gave them and took myself Lungs Plus (TriLight Herbs,
www.trilightherbs.com
or 1-800-HERB-KID) and Ivy Calm (Enzymatic Therapy,
www.enzy.com
or www.vitaminshoppe.com
). I would use one at one dosing, then a couple hours later, I’d give the other. I even resorted to adding Osha Root to the Lungs Plus when the cough sounded very deep. Due to Osha root being a potentially “not-so-great” for breastfeeding herb, I ended up taking the antibiotic, Omnicef, with dramatic relief from ear pain, deep chest pain and fever following the acute illness. My understanding is that there is a respiratory bug this year that often incurs secondary bacterial illness complications. This was certainly so in my case. I would recommend the alternating schedule of Lungs Plus and Ivy Calm to for the wet, spasmodic coughs and Wild Cherry Coffaway (also TriLight Herbs product) and Ivy Calm for the dry, spasmodic cough. Until I ran out (a very bad thing in the middle of an illness), I personally was taking Get Well Soon (Rainbow Light – I purchase through Ozark Co-op, but it’s sold in health food stores also) tablets and holding the illness at bay. The tablets are large and difficult for children to swallow but would work well for older children and adults. In addition, when coughs are the primary feature in a respiratory illness, I generally choose Echinacea & Elderberry w/Thyme (TriLight Herbs) formula. The thyme really adds some additional support for the cough, with the Echinacea and elderberry focusing on immune support.
Echinacea – Long-Term Use
Q. We give our children multi-vitamins, Vitamin C, and try to be consistent with a morning dose of Echinacea and Thyme-herbal liquid combination from Tri-Light.
I have heard that it is not good to take echinacea on a continuous basis like this. Isn't that true? We begin taking it when we know we've been exposed to something or when we seem to be coming down with
something, but not continuously.
Alana
A. Alana, it is true that we have heard that it is not good to take echinacea for more than 8 weeks continuously; however, when I pursued the question further, I found that many of the studies on echinacea’s effectiveness as an immunostimulant in Europe actually showed that echinacea’s immunostimulant properties actually peaked in effectiveness at 2-3 months of use. We do not take echinacea continuously throughout the year; however, we had in past years begun taking it starting in late September/October through the flu season with breaks of one week every few weeks if I feel a break is okay, i.e., we are not going “out and about” a great deal that week where exposure to flu would occur. Since we live in a smaller city now where the flu comes later in the season, I now wait and watch the flu charts and observe other families in our community to know when to begin our preventive Echinacea. Once begun, I feel comfortable taking Echinacea up to 6-8 weeks continuously before taking a break if we have significant illness around us that we will be exposed to in social circumstances.
Echinacea species differences
Q. I am wondering if you could explain the difference between Echinacea purpurea and echinacea angustifolia. I order herbs in bulk from Frontier Herbs and have trouble choosing echinacea. There are also choices between the root or the leaves. Also, I am having nasty PMS every other month, at age 46. More specifically, I have a lot of bloating and breast tenderness but worse is the severe depression that comes a week or so before my period. I have been taking Red Raspberry Leaf, Red Clover and St John's Wort daily, all month long. I have had a lot of trauma in my life, and grief and depression are a consequence. The week before my period was unbearable this month. Is there anything else I can do for
this? Thanks for your time and answers.
Laurie
A. On echinacea: Echinacea pallida root is generally used in supportive therapy for influenza-like infections (900mg daily, used not longer than 8 weeks); Echinacea purpurea herb is generally used for supportive therapy for colds and chronic infections of the respiratory tract and lower urinary tract as well as external use for poorly healing wounds and chronic ulcerations (6-9ml expressed juice or equivalent preparations daily); Echinacea angustifolia herb and root and E. pallida herb are unapproved for use in the German Commission E Monographs due to the activity of the herb being unsubstantiated for the conditions it is supposed to be beneficial in: “support and promote the natural powers of resistance of the body, especially in infectious conditions (influenza and colds, etc) in the nose and throat, as an alterative in influenza, inflammatory and purulent wounds, abscesses, furuncles, indolent leg ulcers, herpes simplex, inflammation of connective tissue, wounds, headaches, metabolic disturbances, diaphoretic and antiseptic.” So, to answer your question, Echinacea pallida root and Echinacea purpurea herb both have been studied extensively and approved for therapeutic use, while E. angustifolia doesn’t have the same scientific validation, although traditional use seems to show effectiveness. As to the PMS, the best herb for PMS symptoms is vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry). Just 1-2 capsules each morning can make a world of difference. As for the depression, you might consider St. John’s wort therapy, taken as directed on a standardized product bottle. Grief and depression do not have to be long-term outcomes of life trauma. Christ has overcome, and through Him, we can cast our burdens on Him and depend upon His grace for daily holiness and happiness. The song “Trust and Obey” couldn’t be more accurate. If we trust Him and obey His word, then our daily strength comes from Him and anxiety is put asunder.
Flu Formula
Q. In your book Mommy Diagnostics, 1999 edition, p 166, under "Flu"--you recommend a product with ginger, capsicum, goldenseal, licorice 2caps every 2-4hrs. What is this and from what company?
Thank you,
Hélène
A. Helene, The product mentioned was called FV by Nature’s Sunshine. I wish they still made the product, as it worked extremely well for flu. We’ve now begun to keep BP-C by Nature’s Way on hand, which is a similar formula as well as Flew Away by TriLight Herbs
(www.trilightherbs.com
).
Herbs with Salicin
Q. I know that Feverfew converts to salicin in the body. Aspirin is contra-indicated for children because of the possible link to Reye's syndrome. Would I then assume, that giving Feverfew to children would also
be contra-indicated? Please advise at your earliest convenience.
Best regards,
Ann
A. Feverfew is not the herb in White Willow & Feverfew that contains salicin. Actually, it’s the white willow. White willow (as well as meadowsweet and others) does not behave the same way in the body as aspirin. There is no contraindication in herb literature to using the salicin-containing herbs during a viral illness in children. Theoretically, it could be a problem. There is not known contraindication, nor have there been any studies performed on this particular effect of the herb. I do know that white willow does not cause the side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding or other dangerous circulatory sequelae that aspirin does. That has been researched and confirmed. Feverfew may be used freely. Some discretion should probably be used until more research is established in regards to white willow or meadowsweet. Parents definitely need to be informed of the salicin properties of the herb, White willow, and they can then make an informed decision as to administration to their children.
Multivitamins for Men
Q. I so appreciate your ministry. I am looking for a good quality multivitamin for my dear husband and have noticed some of the vitamins have some herbs in them. Is it better to buy one of those types with the herbs already added or to just purchase the plain ones and purchase any herbs separately? It would seem especially with the vitamins with Echinacea in them, that taking those everyday would diminish the Echinacea's effectiveness for immune stimulation when it is recommended to take a break so many days off and then so many on with the Echinacea. Thanks for your help!
Lisa
A. Lisa, I wouldn’t take a multivitamin with Echinacea on a daily basis, either. I don’t think this is the wisest use of the herb. I prefer to use it on an as needed basis when exposed to an illness or when coming down with an illness. I do like vitamins with herbs included, though. My husband’s multi contains herbs that are particularly suited to men’s health needs: ginkgo, hawthorn, saw palmetto, pycnogenols (from pine bark or grape seed), Siberian ginseng, etc. I find it easier to have him to this one product daily rather than have him remember to take from a variety of bottles. This is our personal choice recognizing our weak areas of forgetting to take supplements if we have too many to keep up with; your situation may be different. One is not necessarily better than the other; just do whatever works best for you. Do, however, avoid the daily use of herbs best reserved for occasional as needed use.
Olive Leaf
Q. Please discuss your finding on olive leaf extract...thank you.
Jennifer
A. Jennifer, Olive leaf has not had a solid history of scientific validation as of yet for human usage, but olive leaf preparations have been shown to have the following actions in animal experiments: antispasmodic, bronchodilator, coronary dilator, hypotensive (decreases blood pressure), antiarrhythmic and arrhythmogenic, antipyretic (reduces fever), hypoglycemic (lowers blood sugar) and diuretic. There are no known risks associated with ingestion of olive leaf. Personally, I’ve used olive leaf successfully during sinus infections and have friends who have used the herbal medicine successfully in lowering blood pressure. Due to the absence of safety concerns and the actions shown in experiments, I would definitely keep olive leaf in my herbal medicine cabinet.
Probiotic Supplements
Q. I have a question about PB 8 by Nutrition Now. You had recommended that I take Yeast Defense and a probiotic for yeast infections during pregnancy. I have been taking Yeast Defense, and I also purchased PB 8 -- the pro-biotic Acidophilus product. I'm trying to figure out what the difference is between PB 8 and the "regular" Acidophilus that I purchase at the health food store (the ones that are refrigerated, like DDS- Plus). I also want to confirm that PB 8 is safe for pregnancy (I'm 10 weeks along). I was assuming it was since you recommended a pro-biotic. Thank you for your help!
In Christ,
Diane
A. Diane, PB 8 is considered safe for pregnancy, as are most probiotics; they’re merely replacing our own “good” bacteria that normally reside in our body. As for the difference between PB 8 and refrigerated products, the biggest is shelf life – the time a product will remain potent after processing, and potency – how effective the supplement will be under a variety of conditions. A probiotic kept refrigerated will usually enjoy a longer period of potency after processing. Heat conditions on the shelf can shorten the time those bacteria in the bottle stay alive. Refrigerated supplements often contain the “super strains” of acidophilus, some of which can withstand stomach acid and even antibiotics. I usually choose the refrigerated probiotics, but I’ve been known to use PB 8 and know a number of people who’ve used it successfully as well. The best tip when using a probiotic at room temperature is to keep the room temp around 70 degrees and keep the supplement away from heat sources and light.
Royal Jelly
Q. I have a hard time taking many vitamins. Either they upset my stomach (due to GERD). Or for example, B-complex just 'zings' me, gets me kinda hyper. I have always been VERY sensitive to medications and some herbs and vitamins. But I looked into Bee-Alive royal jelly. My reading and research seem to indicate it has your B's and other good nutrients all in one, with many nutrients that I cannot take either in a single form or in a combo. So far, I have been tolerating it and have seen some 'mood' benefit. And the ingredients are:
royal jelly 150 mg
wheat germ oil
pure honey
gelatin
soybean oil
beeswax and soybean lecithin
I just get a bit nervous when they call it the feel good, be happy supplement. I would love your opinion on this.
Thank you
Lisa
A. Lisa, I don’t enjoy the marketing hype that comes with many supplements, either; however, that doesn’t mean that I throw out the supplement with the overdone advertising slogans. The ingredients in your Bee-Alive royal jelly do not cause any concern for me in terms of healthful nutrients, other than questioning where their gelatin is coming from – gelatin is usually made from the hooves of horses. You’d want to make certain they are testing the horses to make certain they are healthy, because the horse meat market in the United States is not well regulated and may allow sick and diseased horses to be sold for slaughter. Otherwise, I’d enjoy the good results and not question a good thing!
Soothing Salve Drops
Q. My name is Julie, and I have your Mommy Diagnostics book. I need a product to put on my 2-year-old daughter's skin, which has had an acne-like rash for several months. It is not itchy, and there is little to no discharge, just small pimple-like bumps all the time with some mild redness. After eliminating various foods with no real change in the rash, I am beginning to suspect a skin infection, maybe staph. It is on her cheeks, chin, and a little bit on the backs of her arms and upper thighs. Anyway, you recommend Soothing Salve drops for a combination of echinacea and tea tree oil. Is there a formula that is a better or stronger antimicrobial than this?
Also, I want a general tonic to give her internally to support and boost her body during this treatment. I have tried to locate the salve and other information on the trilightherbs website, but had no luck and found it overwhelming. I know I can get a prescription cream for this but would like to use herbs. Again, she is two, so she will not put up with too much fidgeting, too much standing still, or anything that tastes gross (I'm sure you know the routine).
Thank you for your input and a great book.
Julie
A. Julie, since you are the mother and the one capable of doing the best diagnosing, we’ll work from the assumption of a staph skin infection, also called impetigo. The Soothing Salve drops actually contain a variety of antimicrobials: comfrey, goldenseal, Echinacea combined with essential oils of camphor, tea tree, wintergreen, peppermint and myrrh. As you can see, the formula is a potent one. I’ve found using the Soothing Salve Drops 3-4 times daily (even more if she rubs it off) over a 10-14 day period usually drives the “bugs” away. As for internal support, I’d probably choose BactaMune, as the Oregon Grape and Echinacea in the formula are particularly suited to wound healing.
Tummy Formulas
Q. My family all had the norovirus (previously called Norwalk Virus) a month ago. It started with my 4 year old boy and went like wildfire through the rest. My 7 year old and 4 year old have been having weird lapses every week since. My 7 year old will get up in the night between 2 and 4 am and have about 2 hours of horrible diarrhea. By breakfast, he is fine and hungry. My 4 year old wakes up between 3 and 5 am and has usually dry heaves for 2 hours, but this week, it was true vomiting. They are so tired of this. The rest of the week or so between episodes, they seem fine. I took them to see the doctor yesterday, and she started tests on the 7year old--blood work and I brought home stool and urine kits. She feels it may be nuts and seeds allergies--I could connect a couple episodes to nuts the lunch time before. It’s the only thing I can think of. I started them on acidophilus about 6 days before the last episode; otherwise, I can think of nothing else to do. She mentioned they may be still passing the virus back and forth --that doesn't make sense to me. Please tell me what you think and what I could do.
Thank you
Lyn
A. Lyn, I’m glad you’ve taken them to your physician for tests. I would have done the same thing with something continuing to cause such significant symptoms in my children. Since I am not a physician, I couldn’t guess what is causing the problem other than to say that pediatric textbooks do state that some germs that cause gastroenteritis (vomiting and/or diarrhea) may continue to be passed back and forth among family members or may just not have been completely overcome with the initial infection. If it was the norovirus, there’s not much to allopathic treatment other than treating for the discomfort of the symptoms. When I’m treating gastroenteritis in my family, particularly when it’s lingering, I give ginger for the nausea (500-1,000 mg every 2 hours during the acute phase; 3-4 times daily during recovery phase), a high-potency probiotic powder (3-4 doses daily), IntestiCalm (1/2 teaspoon every 3 hours, by TriLight Herbs,
www.trilightherbs.com
) with ¼ - ½ teaspoon goldenseal added, supplemental garlic, either raw cloves or supplement form several times daily, if the tummy can tolerate it. After 1-2 weeks of this therapy, the germs have decided our bodies aren’t a happy place for them to live anymore.
Zinc
Q. Would you know anything about zinc? I am wondering how much I can take in one day's time and also could you list any benefits from taking zinc?
Thank you,
Jackie
A. Zinc is a potent healer. Just think of the zinc ointment that mothers put on their baby’s bottoms for rashes - ever noticed how quickly the skin heals? Zinc may be taken at the beginning of cold symptoms at a dosage of 23mg of elemental zinc (gluconate, etc) every 2 hours for a stimulation to the immune system. This dosage should not exceed one week’s usage. Sore throats respond exceedingly well to zinc lozenge therapy. Colds are not prevented using zinc; rather, the symptoms are decreased and the duration of illness is cut in half most of the time.
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