Medicinal Herbs

Stevia Approved by FDA as Sweetener

This article is reprinted from Frontier Co-op Herbal Newsletter, January 2009:

We sell Stevia at the HerbFest and our plants are organically raised. For many years we've had a steady stream of customers wanting to buy Stevia and asking for directions as to how to use as a sweetener ( we recommend drying leaves, crumbling, and using).
The jury is still out on the use of Stevia as a substitute sweetener for diabetics and as more information becomes available we will keep you informed.

FDA Approves Sweeteners Made from Stevia Plant

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of two new zero-calorie sweeteners made from the stevia plant. They have done this by means of a no-objection letter. Now -- a pressing question in the minds of many in the industry: what is the impact of this?

According to Anthony Young, Esq., Partner, Kleinfeld Kaplan & Becker and General Counsel, AHPA, as with all matters regulatory, "the devil is in the details."

Young explains that an ingredient for use in food must be an approved food additive, generally recognized as safe (GRAS), or a food itself. Stevia is an ingredient that is added to food for its technical or functional effect (i.e., sweetening), and thus is not a food staple. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) did not create an exception from the food additive amendments for ingredients like colors, sweeteners or preservatives which exert only a technical or functional effect in the food. If an ingredient is not an approved food additive (olestra, the artificial fat discovered by Procter & Gamble, was the last major food additive approved by FDA), then it must be GRAS for use in food.

In early May 2008, Whole Earth Sweeteners and Cargill submitted separate GRAS notices to FDA. FDA then reviewed the dossier and published a letter indicating that the agency "has no questions" at this time regarding the proposed use. These notifications mean:

- The two ingredients from these companies may be used in accordance with the terms of their notifications in food or in dietary supplements as sweeteners.

- FDA is generally in agreement that stevia is GRAS for use in certain foods under certain conditions.

- Other manufacturers of stevia may go through the GRAS self-affirmation process with some level of confidence that FDA would not dispute their GRAS self-affirmation.

Only the products from companies that have done a GRAS status review and have the documentation on file can sell stevia as a sweetener. Eventually, more and more companies will do this, and stevia sweeteners will become commonplace. Accordingly, stevia labeled and sold as a dietary supplement is not approved as a sweetener, and should not be promoted as such in your store.

Mints Are and Have Been Used as Medicinal Herbs For Generations

                                                     Mints As Medicinals

    Herbs from the Lamiaceae family, also known as the mint family have been shown to drastically reduce the infectivity of HIV-1 virions, single infective viral particles. A research team from the University of Heidelberg has found that extracts of lemon balm, sage and peppermint work rapidly to produce their effects in amounts that display no toxicity. The extracts were seen to enhance the density of the virions prior to their surface engagement. They also displayed a strong activity against herpes simplex virus type 2.

   The researchers examined water extracts from the leaves of lemon balm, sage and peppermint for their potency to inhibit infection by HIV-1. They found that the extracts exhibited a high and concentration-dependent activity against the infection of HIV-1 in T-cell lines, primary macrophages, and in ex vivo tonsil histocultures. This effect was produced at extract concentrations as low as 0.004% without affect to cell viability.

Neutralizing Free Radicals Is Better With Dried Herbs Like Oregano or Basil than with Blueberries

neutralizing free radicals with dried herbs like oregano and basil

Neutralizing Free Radicals Is Better With Dried Herbs Like Oregano or Basil than with Blueberries

The Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity (ORAC) score ranks foods on their ability to neutralize free radicals. It's interesting to note that even blueberries, which are highly touted as being rich in antioxidants, don't come close to common herbs like basil and oregano on the ORAC scale.

Blueberries have an ORAC score of 6,552, while dried oregano scores 200,129 and dried basil comes in at 67,553. (Fresh herbs score considerably lower -- 13,970 and 4,805 for oregano and basil respectively.) Note the difference though as we see that blueberries with their touted strengths are below that of FRESH oregano by approximately 50%. Of course no one is going to sit down and munch a pint basket of dried oregano, or any other herb actually, but it's the consistency of healthy eating that helps our bodies prevent or retard disease processes. There are cumulative effects of poor health and eating habits as well as the beneficial corollary of healthy eating habits.

It would be interesting to see if the loss of moisture from the fresh herbs in some way accentuates the essential oils ability to neutralize free radicals.

Organic dried herbs offer maximum health benefits, and herbs should always be stored away from light and heat as much as possible. And don't store them too long -- herbs less than six months old are richer in antioxidants than older ones. For more on herbs and spices go to this University of Georgia study. .

For more information on similar topics click one of below:

Natually Combatting Lupus Pain

Many people suffer with Lupus headaches and related skin ulcers. Acetaminophen, which can be taken with food or without, seems to work best at alleviating these nuisances. Research shows that getting plenty of rest and staying stress free can help to prevent many flares that cause excruciating pain. Alka Seltzer in the bath works wonders for some. Jacuzzi soaks will help to relax and comfort aching muscles and joints. If you do not have access to a jacuzzi, Bed Bath and Beyond have bath mats that I've found can achieve the same miraculous feeling results. Try rubbing itchy skin ulcers with the soft head of a q-tip instead of using fingernails to scratch, since they work just as well yet carry the risk of fewer germs and cuts.

Throat, chest, skin ulcerations, and joint pain can occur regularly in Lupus patients. While Halls and Vicks sometimes do the trick, hot green tea can aid in combatting these problems. Eucerin lotion with a top coat of pure lanolin is soothing for chest, back, and outer vaginal ulcers. Some creams, which can be purchased over the counter for yeast infections, are also said to soothe some of the related ulcer itchiness. Additionally, Maracuja or passion fruit massage oil may relax and ease the intense pain in joints.

Other natural remedies for fever and pain include Clavo and Tayuya, which supports the central nervous system. Cayaponia tayuya is also anti-inflammatory, therefore an exceptional rain forest plant for Lupus sufferers to look into utilizing. Aromatherapy during massage is another option to try.

Authored by Melissa C. Wilson

Healthy Eating To Prevent Muscle Cramps and Charley Horses

A muscle cramp or spasm is a sudden, uncontrolled contraction of a muscle. This type of pain is most commonly experienced in the legs, and therefore often called a leg cramp or a "charley horse."

The exact cause of a leg cramp is not completely understood, but there are some factors that are thought to contribute to this condition:

• Muscle fatigue
• Heavy exercising
• Dehydration
• High weight (not necessarily obesity)
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Medications (statins, prednisone, others...)

The most common cause that is typically seen in patients who develop leg cramps is exercising in an unusual way, meaning either more activity or a different exercise. Leg cramps are more common in young (adolescent age) and older (over 65) patients. Patients who weigh more are more prone to developing leg cramps. Also, some medications can cause side effects of leg cramping.

'Charley-horses' is the first place your body targets when you are dehydrated. Drink lots of water! I recommend purified water and Mineral Water mixed 50/50. The Mineral Water is going to put back into the muscles the minerals they are losing on a daily basis. You must drink beyond your thirst to get the benefits of hydration.

I suggest that adults and children drink 40 ounces of water per 100 pounds of body weight every day. Realize that exercise, ambient temperature, and state of health affect the water needs of your body.

In the evening take a hot bath with 2 cups of dissolved Epsom salts and soak for 30 minutes. Afterwards, if you have something shaped like a cylinder and made out of hard material (think of a large rolling pin you would use for pizza dough or something) place it under your leg and push down and roll it back and forth...this should massage the spasms out of your leg. It will hurt while you're doing it, but more so the type of pain that actually feels good, in the long run. Afterwards massage an analgesic cream into the area. You will start feeling better very quickly.

Take 500mg of calcium and magnesium every evening. This will help stop the cramping as these minerals have a significant relaxing affect on the muscles.

Eat a diet with lots of fresh green vegetables. These vegetables uncooked have tremendous amounts of minerals that will feed the muscles. Today's diet is greatly lacking in fresh vegetables and fruits. The water that's contained in vegetables and fruit has the greatest absorption of minerals into the body.

I strongly recommend that people take a digestive enzymes capsule every time they eat to optimize the absorption of the foods they are consuming. Without enzymes your body cannot absorb food. This is one of the reasons that people are constantly hungry - their body is no longer producing enzymes in their stomach. This is common nowadays because of lifestyle (consuming fast food daily) and illnesses.

If you find this problem continuing you should see your medical doctor because it's possible it could be a more serious problem and will need medical investigation.

Cherokee Bille http://www.cherokeebillie.com

You can also view more information at our medical sister web site: http://www.medfaxxinc.com . Herbally chamomile, yarrow, chaparral, blue cohosh are herbal supplements used to prevent cramping.