False Unicorn Root

Many herbs are known to help regulate women’s hormonal cycle. For this reason, these herbs are often classed as “female” herbs. One such herb is the false unicorn root.

False unicorn root, or Chamaelirium carolinianum, is a herbaceous perennial plant that is found in North America. The plant thrives in the fertile moist soil along the Mississippi River.

False unicorn root is a short plant, only reaching up to 100 centimeters high in full maturity. The stems are smooth and angular and the leaves alternate. The leaves of the false unicorn root are spatulate below and lanceolate above, about 20 cm by 2 cm, narrow at the base and formed into a whorl.

False unicorn roots have several greenish-white flowers that are tiny and clustered together in a dense terminal raceme. The bulbous rhizome terminates abruptly and at the bottom tip, fine wiry pale roots emerge.

The Name Game

False unicorn root is known by several names. It is synonymous with starwort, helonias, Helonias dioica, Helonias lutea, Chamaelirium carolinianum, Vertarum luteum, helionas root, blazing start root, and devil’s bit. False unicorn root is sometimes confused with Aletris farinose, which is the “true” unicorn root. Like false unicorn root, Aletris also contains steroidal saponins (diosgenin) and is said to have many oestrogenic properties.

False Unicorn Root: Its Uses

For many centuries, false unicorn roots have been used by countless women to provide remedy for menstrual and uterine problems. False unicorn roots contain compounds called steroidal saponins which are said to be extremely therapeutic. However, the influence of these substances in women’s hormonal activity and help regulate the menstrual cycle remains unclear.

False unicorn roots are often blended with teas and tinctures of so-called “female” herbs like wild yam and chasteberry. These are said to form powerful tonics that could improve and maintain the balance in the reproductive organs. The root of the false unicorn is often recommended by some herbalists to treat menopausal symptoms. Others recommend it for treatment of ovarian cysts. Women on “the pill” have also been reported to use false unicorn roots to normalize hormonal levels after using oral contraceptives.

In the early days, Native American women chewed false unicorn roots to prevent miscarriage. It was also used to treat discomforts in the digestive tract due to pregnancy, such as vomiting or early morning sickness. Its diuretic properties makes false unicorn roots a good way to promote urination and help rid the body of waste and even intestinal tract worms.

Dosage and Interactions

False unicorn root is often taken in tincture. The recommended dosage is ½ – 1 teaspoon (2-5 ml) three times per day. For powdered dried false unicorn root, ¼ – ½ teaspoon ( 1-2 grams) thrice a day is usually recommended.

There are no adverse side effects associated with the use of this herbal supplement. Although it has been used historically as a traditional healing remedy for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, the herb has properties that makes it uterine tonic. This means that it might be potentially unsafe to use it during pregnancy. There are no well-known drug interactions with false unicorn root.

Folic Acid / Vitamin B12

Folic Acid/Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is an important vitamin that is soluble in water. Unlike any other water-soluble vitamins, folic acid/vitamin B12 is not excreted quickly in the urine. Rather, it accumulates and is stored in the body, specifically the liver and the kidney. Perhaps as a result of this, deficiency in folic acid/vitamin B12 is not apparent until after 5 or 6 years of consuming a diet that supplies an inadequate amount of this vitamin group.

Folic acid/vitamin B12 acts like a methyl donor and plays an important role in the synthesis of DNA and red blood cells. It has a vital importance in maintaining the health of the myelin, the insulation sheath that surrounds nerve cells. One of the consequences of folic acid/vitamin B12 deficiency is anaemia but it is now clear that it is not the most serious of consequences. The normal blood level of folic acid/vitamin B12 ranges between 200 and 600 picogram/milliliter (148-443 picomol/liter).

Before anaemia is evident, a deficiency in folic acid/vitamin B12 often manifests itself in the development of a neurological dysfunction that is not unlike senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Many patients who are exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer’s actually suffer from a folic acid/vitamin B12 deficiency. In addition, low levels of this vitamin are linked with asthma, depression, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, tinnitus, diabetic neuropathy, and low sperm counts. Based on this, it is clearly evident that maintaining an adequate amount in the body is crucial.

How much does the body need?

The amount of folic acid/vitamin B12 that our body needs is actually very small. The body needs about 2 micrograms or 2 millionth of a gram each day. However, because folic acid/vitamin B12 is not absorbed very well, we need larger amounts than that. We can do this through increasing folate in your diet or through supplementation. The richest dietary sources of folic acid/vitamin B12 are liver (especially lamb’s liver) and kidneys. You can also get an adequate supply of this vitamin from eggs, cheese, and some species of fish. Contrary to popular belief, vegetables and fruits are actually poor sources.

Supplementation

One of the best ways to maintain adequate levels of folic acid/vitamin B12 in the body is through supplementation. Oral supplementation with this vitamin is safe, efficient, and inexpensive. You can find several drugstores that sell multi-vitamins. Each multi-vitamin pill contains about 100-200 microgram of folic acid/vitamin B12 in cyanocobalamin form. The body will convert this into methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin so it can start using it.

How to take it

One of the problems with folic acid/vitamin B12 is its absorption. As stated before, absorption is slow. So even if you take in about 500 micrograms of cyanocobalamin, your body actually only absorbs as little as 1.8 micrograms. This shows that multivitamins do not necessarily provide adequate daily intake.

The best approach in taking folic acid/vitamin B12 is to place a sublingual tablet of methylcobalamin (1000 micrograms) under your tongue and allow it to dissolve. This will actually increase the absorption rate, thereby allowing the body to maintain adequate amounts.

Recommended Dosage for Folic Acid/Vitamin B12 Deficiency

In cases of deficiency, 1000 micrograms per day might not be enough. The recommended dosage is 2000 micrograms per day for one month. After the first month, the 1000 microgram/day may be followed.

Forskolin

The traditional Indian practice, called Ayurvedic medicine, made great use of the herb Coleus forskohlii. They used the herb to treat asthma, heart disease, and a range of other ailments. This small herb belongs to the mint family and is native to Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Nepal.

Herbal Uses

For centuries, Coleus forskohlii is an important traditional Ayuverdic herb that has been a part of Indian medicine. In the 1970s, researchers were able to isolate an active chemical ingredient in Coleus forskohlii. They believed that this ingredient, called forskolin, is the chief reason why Coleus forskohlii seems to be effective in treating countless ailments.

How Forskolin Works

Forskolin is derived from the roots of the Indian plant, Coleus forskohlii. Forskolin acts by directly activating the adenylate cyclase and raising cyclic AMP levels in a variety of tissues. Forskolin’s action on cyclic AMP is considered very important since this is the compound that regulates the cells. Once cyclic AMP is formed through action from forskolin, this substance activates many other enzymes as well, creating a pandemonium of actions and reactions within the body. As a result, a diverse number of cellular functions are encouraged.

Under normal situations, cyclic AMP is formed when a stimulatory hormone, such as epihephrine, binds to a receptor site on the cell membrane. The hormone would then stimulate the activation of adenylate cyclase. All cellular membranes contain the enzyme, adenylate cyclase with specific receptors that determines which hormone will activate in particular cell. With the addition of forskolin, you are able to bypass this hormonal activation by adenylate cyclase.

Because forskolin can directly activate adenylate cyclase, intracellular cyclic AMP levels rise. By raising the intracellular cyclic AMP levels, certain beneficial physiological and biochemical effects occur. These include inhibition of platelet activation, inhibition of mast cell degranulation, inhibition of histamine release, increased force of contraction of heart muscle, relaxation of the arteries and other smooth muscles, increased insulin secretion, and increased thyroid function.

Forskolin: Other Uses

Forskolin is available in supplemental form. Forskolin extract is used and recommended for treatments against thyroid conditions, such as hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone. This insufficient supply of thyroid sometimes leads to enlargement of the gland, a condition known as goiter.

Forskolin is believed to stimulate the thyroid gland and increase production of the thyroid hormone. Thus, in effect, forskolin helps relieve such symptoms in hypothyroidism as fatigue, depression, weight gain, and dry skin. By activating an enzyme, Forskolin is also thought to specifically increase thyroid function. This enzyme causes levels of cyclic AMP (Adenosine Monophosphate), a key cell-regulating substance.

In addition to hypothyroidism, quite a number of other conditions that are seemingly unrelated have been linked to low levels of cyclic AMP. Therefore, theoretically, these ailments may be treated using forskolin. These ailments that which can be treated through forskolin include asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, glaucoma, eczema, and psoriasis. Studies have been conducted to examine the benefits of forskolin in easing the symptoms of these ailments.

Typically, forskolin is taken over the long term for treatment of hypothyroidism. It should be noted however that using forskolin in addition to thyroid hormone replacement therapy is not recommended.

Fish Oils

Some fats are good. Some fats are bad. Fats can do a lot of good for the body. Fats can also bring harm. Trans-fatty acids that are artificially produced are bad in any amount. Likewise, saturated fats from animal products should be kept to a minimum. The best fats are those that turn liquid at room temperature. These fats are called oils.
They contain essential fatty acids which are so named because without them, we die. Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated. They are grouped in to two families – the omega-6 essential fatty acids and the omega-3 essential fatty acids.

The difference between these two families of fats is only minor. Their molecular structures act disparately while inside the human body. While the metabolic products of omega-6 acids promote inflammation, blood clotting, and tumor growth, the omega-3 acids act in an entirely different way. Because of this, we need both omega-3s and omega-6s in our bodies despite the fact that it has become increasingly clear that omega-6 in excess can have dire consequences.

Many scientists have found several reasons to believe that the high incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, premature aging, and some forms of cancer is due to the imbalance between our intake of omega-6 and omega-3. Before, our ancestors thrived on a perfectly balanced diet of omega-6 and omega-3 with a ratio of 1:1. Recent changes in our dietary habits through the years have pushed that ration to something that is close to 20:1. Naturally, this spells trouble big time.

Sources of Fatty Acids

Omega-6 fatty acids are commonly found in vegetable oils such as corn oil and soy oil. Both of these contain high amounts of linoleic acid which are essential components that make up omega-6. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids are found in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and marine plankton and fish oils.

Flaxseed and walnut oils are predominantly alpha-linoleic acids while the main components of fatty fish and fish oils are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The most active and beneficial of these fatty acids are EPA and DHA which are found in fish oils.

Benefits of Fish Oils

The importance of fish oils was first brought up when Danish physicians observed that Greenland Eskimos have low risks of heart disease and arthritis. This is astonishing, considering that the Eskimos consume high-fat diet. The benefit was later attributed to the presence of EPA and DHA in fish oils and fatty fish.

More recent researches have also shown that fish oils (EPA and DHA) play a crucial role in the prevention of atherosclerosis, heart attack, depression, and cancer. Clinical studies were also conducted and the results clearly showed the effect of fish oils against these chronic ailments. Many disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, and Raynaud’s disease are said to be treated through fish oil supplementation.

How Fish Oil benefits the Human Brain

One of the largest “consumers” of fish oil DHA is the human brain. In fact, a normal adult human brain contains more than grams of fish oil DHA. Low levels of fish oil DHA are said to reduce the secretion of the hormone serotonin which is linked to behavioral disorders such as depression, suicide, and violence. Studies concerning the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease have shown that a high intake of fish and fish oils can significantly decrease age-related memory loss and cognitive function impairment.

There are several more benefits linked to consuming fish oils. Those mentioned above are only a few.