Goldenrod is always there when you need it

My savior

I woke up the other morning with thick, watery, itchy eyes, a lump in my throat and a heavy feeling. I had one of those WOW moments. These were obviously allergies symptoms, which have thankfully become strangers to my body. Although, I could remember when we were close roommates for years, they have been now just a memory since I met Goldenrod (Solidago, spp.), who turned my life around. I have not felt this way in such a long time.

There was a time when I couldn’t get a handle on my allergy symptoms; I was a mess.  I took and tried everything, I used the neti pot, took Claritin, Nasacort, Allegena (homeopathic tincture for pollen allergies) and Benadryl (I’m one of those weird people that Benadryl actually keeps up), all at once.  Nothing seemed to give me relief; my symptoms were barely under control. I walked around in a fog, barely functioning. It seemed like I was allergic to everything that emerged from spring through autumn.

I tried Goldenrod tincture along with a boatload of synthetic allergy medicines, but it did nothing. Nevertheless, one day, something told me to take Goldenrod without anything else and it made such a huge difference. Always go with your instincts folks.  By the fourth day, I felt human again and have been that way ever since. That was over seven years ago. At first I was taking Goldenrod tincture daily to ameliorate my allergy symptoms, but over the years I’ve been able to titrate down. I always think using the least amount is best. No reason to take something you don’t need. This year, I have barely taken it at all, perhaps a couple times a month, if that. Some people ask me if Goldenrod cures allergies, I still do not have a clear answer, but it certainly strengthens the body so it can deal with them better.

Of course, I went into my apothecary, took some Goldenrod, and felt human again. It works best with symptoms of red, inflamed eyes, postnasal drip, allergy induced nose running, sinus headaches, general congestion in sinus and upper respiratory and asthma. It is important to keep in mind that Goldenrod works in concert with body’s natural immune system. Most synthetic allergy medicine alters our immune responses so Goldenrod becomes ineffective when taking with synthetic allergy medicine.

So how does Goldenrod work?

  • It is a mast cell stabilizer; it prevents mast cells from releasing the substances that cause inflammation therefore, mediating inflammatory responses.
  • It’s astringent, so it tightens tissues and tones them.
  • It’s anti-inflammatory, which helps soothe the irritations caused by the allergens.
  • It’s anti-catarrh, helping the body remove excess mucus from the sinuses or other parts of the body.
  • It also restores the cellular integrity of all the mucous membranes.

Although I no longer need Goldenrod daily, I am so glad it’s always there when I do. How are your allergies? Have you thought about trying some Goldenrod, believe me, you won’t be sorry.

If you are interested in learning more about Goldenrod, on August 25, 2018 we will be delving deeper into this magical herb with so much more healing power than you ever knew. Ameliorating allergies is just the tip of the iceberg. For more information, please check out “The Golden Answer.”

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

 

That Aha moment or better yet ~ No Shit!

Ever had one of those “Aha” moments, which is quickly followed by “no shit, of course!?” Well, I just had one of them while caring for my 86 year old mother, whose health is declining and getting more complicated by the day. Luckily, I have a great team who are investing a lot of time and effort into my Mom’s quality of life during these challenging times.

I am an herbalist but I have always said that I have a deep respect for allopathic medicine and it has an important place in health care. I enjoy working with a diverse set of modalities (more tools available), but sometimes more allopathic or heroic methods are necessary. It is especially rewarding when I can use multiple modalities in concert, but sometimes it is just not possible. Herbs tend to utilize the body’s own abilities and allopathic medicine or procedures more often puts the brakes on them or in some instances remove them all together.

Recently, my Mother had her Aortic valve replaced, as it was no longer opening enough for her body to receive adequate blood supply. Blood carries oxygen throughout the body and when it is severely limited, it leads to a host of complications. Blood flow is very important for our bodies to live and thrive. After a valve is replaced, a major concern is blood clots forming around the new valve, which can lead to stroke; not good. Therefore, she was put on medicine that prevents her body from clotting as well as thins the blood. At this point, I am sure you are thinking, clotting is good or a person will simply bleed out, and that is a bad thing. Well, when a person is in their final stages, there is a balancing act ~ do nothing, palliative care or try something that may be a game changer. My Mom decided to try the new valve as it had lots of potential and she was only going to take the antiplatelet and blood thinners for 6 months.

To complicate matters, my Mom has been avoiding the dermatologist for quite a long time, as she knew her skin was in bad shape and was scared to find out the truth. We decided to see one recently, only to see how bad things were. We thought we were only going for a consultation but before we knew it, even after I told the doctor that my Mom was on antiplatelet and blood thinners, she took a couple biopsies. We were told that it was just the top layer and we shouldn’t worry. WRONG! My Mother continued to ooze (thank goodness, no gushers) for over a day. I tried my two favorite hemostatic remedies ~ Goldenrod (Solidago, spp.) and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) in a tincture form and applied pressure. The wounds stopped oozing for just an hour or so. I was confused and frustrated. Now here is the Aha moment. The herbs work in concert with my Mom’s ability to clot and enhance it. Well, she was on medicines that blocked her ability to clot ~ ergo nothing to enhance. I called the dermatologist and she kindly came to our house since we were just coming out of a major snowstorm and I really couldn’t take my Mom anywhere. She applied a medicine that forms its own scab and stopped the bleeding ~ WoundSeal. It is specific for people that were on antiplatelet and blood thinners.

Understanding our bodies and how they function is a critical step in supporting our health and helping others. We have a diverse set of tools available and it is so important to learn to work with them all. In addition to the different modalities ~ alternative and allopathic, learning from experience may be the most valuable tool.

Have you had any Aha moments? Please share and I will continue to share.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.