Mature branches were once bundled and used as brooms by butchers. Young shoots were eaten as food. Early physicians used the roots as a diuretic in the treatment of urinary problems. It was also used to treat menstrual bleeding, bladder stones, jaundice, and headache. Butcher’s broom decreases vascular permeability.
Buckthorn should not be used to treat constipation resulting from excessive tension (bloating, impaction, torsion, blockage and that kind of thing) in the colon wall. Alder Buckthorn bark is toxic and violently purgative when fresh, but is safe once dried and stored for a year. The berries may also be harmful if eaten.
Astragalus has been used in China for thousands of years. The herb is native to northern China. The root is used for medicinal purposes and is collected in the spring after it is 4-7 years old. While there are over 2000 types, the only one that has extensive research on it is the Chinese version. The Chinese name “Huang Qi” means yellow leader because of its importance to Chinese medicine and the color of the root. Also known as “Milk Vetch,” Astragalus is used as food and fodder crops. Astragalus belongs to the Leguminosae family and has seed pods that resemble beans.
Ginger Health Benefits: I often recommend ginger for car sickness in pets and people. The dose is 1-2 capsules 20 minutes before the car ride—hopefully on an empty stomach. It also helps with clearing gas and in promoting menstrual regularity and occasionally it is effective for relief of menstrual cramping (although I have never experienced relief from my own cramps with ginger!). Ginger can also be used for morning sickness.
Homeopathic Use: One case I recall where a woman proved the homeopathic was when she was taking some Herpes drops every day (for prevention). She came down with a whopping case of herpes symptoms then wondered where she had gone wrong. I wondered why she was ordering so much remedy (and this is why I only dispense to people after establishing a client-patient relationship) but she kind of tricked me. She said she had lost a bottle then she wanted another bottle to keep at work and I didn’t realize she was taking it when it wasn’t necessary.
Now, here is the interesting part in Homeopathic History. . . By studying the records of accidental poisonings from other commonly used medicines such as mercury, arsenic, belladonna and silver nitrate and by testing poisons on himself, Hahnemann discovered what homeopathic dose of these substances would cure the symptom.