Description:
Pau d'arco has a long and well-documented history of use by the indigenous peoples of
the rainforest. Indications imply that its use may actually predate the Incas. Throughout South America, tribes living thousands of
miles apart have employed it for the same medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. Several Indian tribes of the rainforest have used
pau d'arco wood for centuries to make their hunting bows; their common names for the tree mean "bow stick" and "bow stem." The Guarani
and Tupi Indians call the tree tajy, which means "to have strength and vigour." They use the bark to treat many different conditions
and as a tonic for the same strength and vigour it puts into their bows. Pau d'arco is recorded to be used by forest inhabitants throughout
the Amazon for malaria, anaemia, colitis, respiratory problems, colds, cough, flu, fungal infections, fever, arthritis and rheumatism,
snakebite, poor circulation, boils, syphilis, and cancer.
Pau d'arco also has a long history in herbal medicine around the world. In South American herbal medicine, it is considered to be astringent, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and laxative; it is used to treat ulcers, syphilis, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal problems, candida and yeast infections, cancer, diabetes, prostatitis, constipation, and allergies. It is used in Brazilian herbal medicine for many conditions including cancer, leukaemia, ulcers, diabetes, Candida, rheumatism, arthritis, prostatitis, dysentery, stomatitis, and boils. In North American herbal medicine, pau d'arco is considered to be analgesic, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and laxative, as well as to have anticancerous properties. It is used for fevers, infections, colds, flu, syphilis, urinary tract infections, cancer, respiratory problems, skin ulcerations, boils, dysentery, gastrointestinal problems of all kinds, arthritis, prostatitis, and circulation disturbances. Pau d'arco also is employed in herbal medicine systems in the United States for lupus, diabetes, ulcers, leukaemia, allergies, liver disease, Hodgkin's disease, osteomyelitis, Parkinson's disease, and psoriasis, and is a popular natural remedy for Candida and yeast infections. The recorded uses in European herbal medicine systems reveal that it is used in much the same way as in the United States, and for the same conditions. Read more….click on search articles.
Contra-Indications,
Cautions and Interactions:
It should not be prescribed for pregnant or breast feeding women.
Assessments at ICIM:
Where underlying infections are suspected the ICIM Blood Analysis, Gut Fermentation Testing and
ICIM Stool Analysis can be considered and used for the monitoring of treatment effectiveness. Other tests can be employed where the
herb is indicated for other ailments. The ICIM One Stop Prostate Assessment can be used where Prostatitis is suspected.
Taraxacum Officinale Radix (Dandalion root) 500mls
Description:
The dandelion is a commonly used herbal remedy. It is especially effective
and valuable as a diuretic because it contains high levels of potassium salts and therefore can replace the potassium that is lost
from the body when diuretics are used. All parts of the plant, but especially the root, are slightly aperient, cholagogue, depurative,
strongly diuretic, hepatic, laxative, stomachic and tonic. The root is also experimentally cholagogue, hypoglycaemic and a weak antibiotic
against yeast infections. The dried root has a weaker action. The roots can be used fresh or dried and should be harvested in the
autumn when 2 years old. The leaves are harvested in the spring when the plant is in flower and can be dried for later use. A tea
can be made from the leaves or, more commonly, from the roots. The plant is used internally in the treatment of gall bladder and urinary
disorders, gallstones, jaundice, cirrhosis, dyspepsia with constipation, oedema associated with high blood pressure and heart weakness,
chronic joint and skin complaints, gout, eczema and acne. The plant has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus
aureus, Pneumococci, Meningococci, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, C. diphtheriae, Proteus etc. The latex contained in the plant sap
can be used to remove corns, warts and verrucae. The latex has a specific action on inflammations of the gall bladder and is also
believed to remove stones in the liver. A tea made from the leaves is laxative. Read more….click on search articles.
Contra-Indications,
Cautions and Interactions:
It should not be prescribed for pregnant or breast feeding women.
Assessments at ICIM:
Where kidney or liver imbalances are suspected an ultrasound examination
can be conducted by ICIM’s resident GP, urine analysis can also be analysed to measure effectiveness of treatment.
Trifolium Pratense (red clover) 500mls
Description:
Red clover is safe and effective herb with a long history of medicinal usage. It is
commonly used to treat skin conditions, normally in combination with other purifying herbs such as Arctium lappa and Rumex crispus.
It is a folk remedy for cancer of the breast, a concentrated decoction being applied to the site of the tumour in order to encourage
it to grow outwards and clear the body. Flavonoids in the flowers and leaves are oestrogenic and may be of benefit in the treatment
of menopausal complaints. The flowering heads are alterative, antiscrofulous, antispasmodic, aperient, detergent, diuretic, expectorant,
sedative and tonic. It has also shown anticancer activity, poultices of the herb have been used as local applications to cancerous
growths. Internally, the plant is used in the treatment of skin complaints (especially eczema and psoriasis), cancers of the breast,
ovaries and lymphatic system, chronic degenerative diseases, gout, whooping cough and dry coughs. The plant is normally harvested
for use as it comes into flower and some reports say that only the flowers are used. The toxic indolizidine alkaloid 'slaframine'
is often found in diseased clover (even if the clover shows no external symptoms of disease). This alkaloid is being studied for its
antidiabetic and anti-AIDS activity. Read more….click on search articles.
Contra-Indications, Cautions and Interactions:
It
should not be prescribed for pregnant or breast feeding women.
Assessments at ICIM:
Where breast related problems are suspected, the ICIM Breast Assessment can be helpful in evaluating this.
Referrals can be made where appropriate. For hormonal imbalances, the ICIM Female Hormonal Assessment can provide assistance and monitor
the effectiveness of this herb.
Description:
Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a flowering plant
in the ginger family, has been long used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent, a remedy for digestive disorders
and liver problems, and as an effective treatment for skin diseases and wound healing. Today, in a large number of scientific studies,
turmeric is being investigated for these medicinal properties, particularly its ability to reduce inflammation in patients with inflammatory
rheumatic disease.
In addition, in one study, turmeric was also found to improve symptoms in the autoimmune eye disorder uveitis. In this study turmeric was shown to be as effective as corticosteroids but free of the side effects commonly associated with steroids.
Turmeric is native to Asia, where it grows as a perennial flowering plant. The aboveground and underground roots are used to produce turmeric powder for medicinal and food uses. With its distinct golden hue, turmeric is used as a food colour and as a spice or flavour enhancer. Of note, turmeric is one of the principle ingredients in curry powder. The active ingredient in turmeric is a substance known as curcumin, which belongs to the family of curcuminoid compounds.
Although among Western researchers curcumin has only recently been studied in humans, it has been widely studied in animals for its protective effect on the liver, anti-tumour action, anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to fight infections. In contrast, in Ayurvedic medicine turmeric has been studied and used as a medicinal agent for thousands of years. A teaspoon of turmeric powder in a cup of warm milk used three times daily has long been considered an effective Ayurvedic treatment for colds and influenza.
Because of its ability to induce bile flow, curcumin helps break down fats and increases the production of stomach acids. For this reason, turmeric should not be used in people diagnosed with gallstones or obstruction of the bile passages unless prescribed by a qualified practitioner. Read more….click on search articles.
Contra-Indications,
Cautions and Interactions:
It should not be prescribed for pregnant or breast feeding women.
Ingredients:
Tumeric 50mls,
1:3.
Assessments at ICIM:
Where inflammation is suspected, CTI can provide assistance in the monitoring of inflammation of the
joints, intestines and wounds. ICIM Laboratory Assessment’s measuring blood serum levels of platelets, ESR, C-reactive protein and
other recommended tests can also be helpful in the evaluation of treatment.