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If you waking up after a good sleep still feeling tired or constantly struggling with fatigue, or if you feel like you’re never able to catch up on sleep, this could be a warning sign that you have some level of adrenal fatigue or ‘burnout’. Feeling overwhelmed, stressed and anxious can be a sign of adrenal fatigue also, as well as a cause.

Adrenal burnout is not uncommon as most of us have experienced it at one time or another. People under stress from working long hours, eating poorly, skipping meals, lack of sleep or relaxation time are considered at high risk of developing adrenal exhaustion at some stage. Pain and chronic inflammation are also indicators. Cortisol levels become depleted due to long-term periods of stress. Cortisol is the hormone involved in the regulation of metabolism in the cells and helps us regulate stress within the body.

Effects of Adrenal Fatigue:

• Sleep quality – still feeling constantly tired after what feels like a good night’s sleep.
• Depression, foggy mind and memory problems.
• Muscle and joint function.
• Weight gain and inability to lose weight – when cortisol is out of balance the body will store fat rather than burn it for fuel.
• Hormonal imbalances.
• Thyroid function.
• Digestive/gut problems – manifesting as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, heartburn or intestinal parasites.
• Immune function
• Skin regeneration and premature aging
• Bone health

What can we do to maintain healthy adrenals?

•  Drink green juice daily
• Eat loads of vegetables, especially spinach, kale, and broccoli. These are great for the adrenal glands, along with seaweed. Seaweed contains iodine and other minerals that can support the adrenals and help normalize elevated adrenal secretion.
• Reduce stress…take up yoga. Learn to meditate and breathe correctly.
• · Adaptogenic herbs such as tulsi, ashwagandha, licorice root, and ginseng are all excellent in supporting healthy adrenal function as they increase the bodies resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. Adaptogens generally work by strengthening the immune and nervous systems…helping to balance and normalise functions in the body.
• Avoid: caffeine, dairy, alcohol, gluten, soy, and sugar as much as possible

You can read about these adaptogenic medicinal herbs in Nature’s Creation – Knowledge & Guidance through Healing Plants book/cards. Instructions for a yogic guided meditation called Yoga Nidra and Pranayama (breath balancing exercises) are also in the book. I recommend both these practices daily to assist in health and wellness and bringing a feeling of relaxation and peace to the body.

What is the difference between a seed and a grain? This a confusing question to most people. You might ask, “Isn’t a grain just a seed”? A grain is a seed, however, there is a big difference between the two especially in the way they both affect our health and how our bodies process them.

Seeds: We refer to seeds directly, such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and sesame seeds. A seed is defined as an embryonic plant covered in a seed coat, often containing nutrients and of high nutritional value. Seeds also tend to have a wider variety of nutrients in them compared to grains, e.g. chia seeds are full of nutrients like omega fats, saturated and monounsaturated fats, protein, plenty of fibre and considered a whole food.

Seeds such as Flaxseeds, Chia seeds, Hemp seeds, Sesame seeds, Pumpkin seeds and Sunflower seeds are so nutrient-dense you don’t have to eat a lot of them. Seeds contain all the biological materials necessary for the development of complex plants. For this reason, they are extremely nutritious and medicinal. They are a good source of fibre and contain healthy monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Grains:

A grain is a type of small edible fruit, usually hard on the outside, harvested from grassy crops. Grains such as wheat, oats, and grasses generally grow in big clumps on a plant and rely on the wind and weather to disperse them. In fact, they are not designed to be eaten by humans in their raw state and need to go through processing (milling or cooking, etc.). Grains have a limited range of nutrients and are carbohydrate based.

 Ancient Grains verses Modern Wheat – Taken from,  The History of How Wheat Became Toxic – Maninis Gluten Free Blog by Donna Collins, July 5, 2011.

“Modern wheat has had a very long history of hybridization, starting with ancestral grasses in the wild and also occurring naturally in farmers’ fields in antiquity. Humans have continued the process chemically in the last century, and especially during the last 50 years in order to increase yields, resist fungal diseases and pest attacks, improve ease of mechanical harvesting and meet rigorous demands of industrial milling and mechanized baking methods. Transgenic wheat varieties via GMO technology are now waiting in the wings for their debut, albeit to an unexpectedly (at least to Monsanto) hostile audience both at home and abroad.

But even before these latest GMO changes, it appears that recent forced and accelerated hybridizations have changed wheat nutritionally in ways that no one seems to have considered, while research into the health effects of these transformations has barely begun. It is through the story of modern wheat’s pedigree, some of which is still disputed by archaeobotanists, that some light can be shed upon gluten intolerance and celiac disease.

Among the early grasses that produced nourishing food for people are the species of Triticum. Within this species, the einkorn, emmer and spelt groups all had a common ancestor about 10,000 years ago. Wild and cultivated einkorn are classified as diploid by plant geneticists; that is, their DNA contains two sets of chromosomes. Einkorn was widely distributed throughout the Near East, Transcaucasia, the Mediterranean region, southwestern Europe and the Balkans, and evidence of wild einkorn harvest remains have been dated in the late Palaeolithic and early Mesolithic Ages (16,000-15,000 BCE). Cultivated einkorn continued to be a popular food crop during the Neolithic and early Bronze Ages (10,000-4,000 BCE) until finally giving way to emmer wheat in the mid-Bronze Age. Einkorn cultivation continued from the Bronze Age until the last century in isolated regions within France, India, Italy, Turkey, and Yugoslavia. A nutritious grain with high levels of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals, einkorn excelled at growing in cool environments and in marginal agricultural zones such as the thin soils of mountainsides”.

Some health experts believe that it is the consumption of modern wheat and other grains, especially those sprayed withpesticides, (including herbicides, fungicides, insecticides) that are responsible for a significant amount of illness, obesity, and suffering in humans today. Gluten is just one culprit. A few of the common illnesses linked to grains include Chrohn’s and Celiac disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other digestive disorders. Consuming grains can also increase the chances of developing diabetes and even worsen brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as all autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

 Nuts: Almonds, pecans, cashews, and walnuts are the seeds produced by a tree. Most contain large amounts of protein, as well as calcium, vitamin E and some, provide selenium. Nuts are classed as seeds and they also have a good range of nutrients. Almonds, brazil, cashew, macadamia, pine nuts and walnuts all have high nutrient value. These are all digested far easier than grains and provide far more nutrients. Activating nuts and seeds by soaking in water overnight then dehydrating them (drying them out in a dehydrator or warm oven) unlocks the nutrients and makes them easier to digest.

Extensive research demonstrates that medicinal mushrooms can boost the body’s immune function. One such study showed how some mushrooms can promote immunity by increasing production of antivirals. These proteins help the body to defend and repair itself. The “immune stimulating” property is gaining a great deal of attention due to the fact that medicinal mushrooms can increase the body’s own defenses.

Polysaccharides are polymeric carbohydrate molecules (compounds) that can help cellular structure and support the immune system and increase immunity. Polysaccharides, peptidoglycans, and triterpenes are three major physiologically active constituents in medicinal mushrooms. Whether fighting cancer or fighting a common cold, a boost in your immunity can help your body to effectively defend itself.

The Power of Medicinal Mushrooms

In recent years, medicinal plants have gained more and more attention with Medical Practitioners, Naturopaths, and Herbalists. Medicinal mushrooms have escalated to the top of the list due to scientific backup. Medicinal mushrooms all contain polysaccharides that give the mushrooms an advantage over other microorganisms by discouraging the competitive organisms, and at the same time, having a profound effect on the body. Evidence shows that they have a strong effect on the immune system by warding off viruses, bacterial infections and they have a beneficial effect on fungal infections such as candida. The history of medicinal mushrooms goes back thousands of years.

Medicine – Ancient and Modern

The medicinal uses of mushrooms go back to Neolithic period in history. The oldest human mummy, dating back 4,000 years ago, was found with Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore)– in his medicine kit, a mushroom used for its antibiotic properties and as a natural parasite killer, still in use today.

Archaeological evidence indicates that man has used the Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma) for over 7000 years.  In ancient times, this little mushroom was considered to be so auspicious that reference to its medicinal superiority is highlighted in the Chinese Materia Medica, the oldest Oriental medical text compiled during the Han Dynasty between 300B.C. and 200A.D. from information passed down verbally through countless generations. Now accepted as being the original textbook of Oriental medical science, it described and classified 365 herbs into three categories…superior, average and fair. Out of 120 medicines that this ancient text lists as superior, Reishi mushroom is ranked number one.  Reishi mushrooms were regarded in China as the “Elixir of Life”. Today they are still used to boost energy, help the body resist disease and stress and promote longevity. Due to its rarity in nature, Reishi was once available only to Asian royalty and the wealthy until the late 20th century.  The mushroom was crowned by Chinese Emperors as the “King of Herbs” and believed to bring Imperial Chi or the life force that would create an eternal dynasty.

Historically, many cultures, such as Egyptian, Greek, and Roman have recorded use of medicinal mushrooms as a highly valued tonic and often reserved for sacred ritual as well as for health and wellbeing.

Medicinal Mushrooms List: The top 8 you need to know about:

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) – Chaga is a type of fungus. It mainly grows on the outside of birch trees in very cold climates. Chaga mushrooms grow wild in places like Siberia, northern Canada, Alaska, and some northern areas of the continental United States.

Cordyceps (cordyceps sinensis)  – Cordyceps has been described as a medicine in old Chinese medical books and Tibetan medicine. This species is found only on the Tibetan Plateau is a rare combination of a caterpillar and a fungus and found at altitudes above 4500m in Sikkim. This fungus is known for its unique way of reproducing. It develops inside insect larvae, killing and mummifying the remains before popping out of the ground as a fruiting body.

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) – Lion’s Mane belongs to the tooth fungus group. Native to America, Europe, and Asia is can be identified by its long spines, its appearance on hardwoods and its tendency to grow a single clump of dangling spines.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) – Rishi is extremely scarce in its natural environment, Ganoderma lucidum is only found growing on two out of 10,000 species of mountain wild plum trees. The wild plum grows in dense, humid, high mountain rain forests of Asia.  In 1972 the Japanese perfected the commercial growing of Ganoderma lucidum in a controlled organic environment.

Maitake (Grifola frondosa) – Mitake is native to China, the northeastern part of Japan and North America. It is prized in traditional Chinese and Japanese herbology as a medicinal mushroom.

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) – Shiitake is native to East Asia and considered a medicinal mushroom of traditional medicine. It grows in groups on the decaying wood of deciduous trees.

Poria (Wolfiporia extensa also known as Poriae cocos) – Poria is very popular in traditional Chinese medicine for making formulas that tonify the spleen and kidney, and in prescriptions that are used to remove excess dampness. Its country of origin is southwest China.

Agaricus (Agaricus blazei ) – Agaricus blazei Murrill is a mushroom originally native to a small village, name Piedade, in the highland areas of Atlantic forest in a mountain town in Brazil.

Together, these eight medicinal mushrooms make a very powerful blend and deliver superior immunity, advanced hormonal adaptability and a tonic for the nervous and immune systems.

 Nature’s Creation – Knowledge & Guidance through Healing Cards – carolinew26.sg-host.com

According to legend Dandelion is said to contain the Spirit of Fairies (Nature Spirits).  It is this super-natural power allegedly created by these Spirit Beings that enables Dandelion to survive and gives it the tenacious resilience to grow anywhere, in any conditions.  Therefore, it is not surprising that this incredible “weed” symbolises adaptability.

Although regarded as a common weed, this member of the Sunflower family known as Dandelion (or Lion’s Teeth) has been one of the most respected healing plants for several thousand years. Evidence shows Dandelion was used as a medicinal herb in China around the 7^th Century, in Ancient Greece and during the Middle Ages.  Stories of Dandelion are found in folklore tradition around the world.

Classified as a bitter herb with cool energy, Dandelion is one of the most nutrient-rich plants in nature.  All parts of the plant are edible.  The young leaves can be steamed or eaten raw in salads, the flowers made into tasty wine and the roots can be eaten as a vegetable or made into a nutritious coffee substitute.

Traditionally Herbalists have used Dandelion to enhance the body’s eliminative and detoxifying functions.  It is a powerful tonic for liver dysfunction, purifying the blood, treatment of anemia, constipation, rheumatism, gallbladder problems, inflammatory skin conditions, gout and a successful treatment for high blood pressure by eliminating excess fluids from the system.  All parts of Dandelion contain strong, natural, diuretic properties that can increase urine production in adults and children.  Large amounts of Dandelion (taken orally or absorbed through the skin) can possibly lead to bedwetting in children.  Therefore, Dandelion’s nickname, “Wet-the-bed” has some factual basis to the legend passed on as an “old wives tale”.  Unlike prescription diuretics that leach potassium from the body, Dandelion is high in potassium and effectively replaces potassium that is lost through the increased urination.

Interesting Fact:  Every year Americans spend millions on lawn pesticides to have uniform lawns of non-native grasses, and we use 30% of the country’s water supply to keep them green.

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Native to Europe, Asia and North America over 100 varieties of Yarrow grow worldwide today. It is one of the most adaptable and incredibly hardy plants alive and has survived on this planet for thousands of years. Pollen believed to be from the Yarrow plant was found during an excavation of a 40,000-60,000-year old Neanderthal tomb. From the Trojan War to the American Civil War, Yarrow has been effective in treating and healing wounds.

NATURE’S CREATION YARROW

Plant of Defence

Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium

Planets: Venus, moon

Element: Water

Today herbalists and homeopaths focus on the anti-inflammatory properties of the herb. Yarrow also contains Sesquiterpene lactones. Sesquiterpenes are characteristic of the Compositae family and their anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic and anti-cancer effects have been clinically tested and well documented.

Many Native Americans tribes considered Yarrow to be an all-purpose, “life medicine”. They utilized it for pain relief and chewed the root as a cure for toothaches and mouth sores. It was consumed as a tea to reduce fever and aid in sleep. Yarrow contains a source of salicin. When salicin is converted to salicylic acid in the body, the effect is similar to today’s synthetic aspirin. This may account for the ability to successfully treat fevers and reduce pain.

Insight: The energy of Yarrow is harmonizing and balancing especially when connected to conflicting disturbances and emotions. If you are experiencing a sense of vulnerability then Yarrow comes to you to protect and support you.

Radium Weed

Botanical Name: Euphorbia peplus. Radium weed…also known as petty spurge, milkweed or cancer weed. This annual garden weed is common throughout Australia. It has branched stems and alternate oval leaves. The small, yellow flowers are inconspicuous and grow out the middle of the leaves.

When I was taking a Herbal Medicine class twenty years ago I was introduced to Radium Weed. One of the other students had a wart and our teacher demonstrated the technique of harvesting and treating the wart with Radium Weed. By the end of the 9-week course, the wart had festered, scabbed and was completely gone. I learned that, if used appropriately and carefully, Radium Weed could be an extremely useful treatment.

It has long been used successfully as a traditional remedy for common skin lesions…one that has been passed down through generations.  Radium Weed has been used for the treatment of warts, corns and skin cancers. The milky sap can be applied to warts and sunspots for 2-4 days. Just a drop of the sap (no more) is all that is needed on the area to be treated. The site will fester and be quite unsightly, followed by a scab, then fresh pink skin. Fresh aloe gel can be applied to aid healing.

Milkweed produces a milky sap which contains chemicals that can control cell growth and death (apoptosis). The active ingredient in the sap is a diterpene ester called ingenol mebutate. The sap extract works by activating an enzyme called protein kinase C which triggers controlled cell suicide. A recent study has shown that this herb has treatment potential for non-melanoma skin cancer. Early results are favourable with basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.  An Australian company called Peplin Biotech is conducting research and developing a gel from the sap of Euphorbia peplus as a simple topical treatment for certain skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. According to Peplin Biotech, the sap penetrates the skin and destroys the malignant tissue.

Radium weed is one of the most promising and so far successful home remedy treatments for skin cancer. Treatment is a drop of sap from the plant directly on skin cancers. For the best and safest results, it is advisable to obtain the seeds from an experienced organic gardener or a plant nursery and grow your own plants. Wild harvesting can be very dangerous, even if it only from the next door neighbour’s garden.

Radium Weed has a serious side.

Care must be used not to allow the sap onto unaffected skin or anywhere near the eyes. THIS IS IMPORTANT. The eye can be affected more seriously by inflammation because it is easily scarred and cause loss and clarity of vision. It is toxic if ingested and will cause blistering wherever it is applied.

Self Treatment Advice

There are a few points that need to be applied when using the raw sap.
1. When plucking the stems to extract sap, choose the small stems first.
2. Wear gloves and do not allow the sap to get onto your fingers or on the lips or eyes.
3. Apply the sap only to the most prominent and specific tissue only.

4. Do not over treat. Once or twice per day is more than enough.

Last, but not least, seeing a doctor or alternative healthcare specialist before self-treating is always recommended.

Ashwagandha (Withania) is one of the most valuable herbs in the Ayurvedic medical system.  It is not just a herb for stress relief; it is also beneficial in helping to keep one healthy, young and mentally sound. Those who take Ashwagandha, even after just a few days, become aware of increased energy, a feeling of internal warmth, wellbeing and overall balance.

The therapeutic qualities of Ashwagandha are well recognised in Ayurvedic traditional Indian medicine. Dating back an estimated 5,000-10,000 years, Ayurveda is widely believed to be the oldest known system of health care. Buddha (born c. 550 bc) was a devotee of Ayurveda. Ayurvedic practitioners value Ashwagandha as an important medicinal plant. They regard it as a rasayana herb … indicating that it strengthens, rejuvenates and invigorates. It is an adaptogen that works to normalise physiological function by acting on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the neuroendocrine system to control stress and regulate body processes. Ashwagandha has “middle note” or neutral action, which means it can be warming as well as cooling, depending on the condition. According to Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha simultaneously balances the nervous system (vata = air) and the musculoskeletal system (kapha = earth, water) while it increases heat (pitta) in the body. As a result, it improves memory, counteracts the effects of stress and calms the mind. (See the Information and Reference Guide in Nature’s Creation book for a more in-depth explanation of Ayurveda.)

Ayurveda is India’s 5000-year old medical science of life, health, and longevity. According to Ayurveda, there is no separation between body, mind, and consciousness. Therefore, the concepts of health and disease must address all of these aspects.

Aspartame: What are the Pros?

For so many years, this sugar alternative has been extensively promoted as the vigorous substitute to regular sugar because of many advantages such as:

Has power overweight: This synthetic sugar is well thought out as non-nutritive meaning the calorie present in this sugar is insignificant hence adding almost no calories. Aspartame is 150 to 200 times sweeter than usual sugar this just a fraction is required for the preferred sweetness, this makes the best option to avoid weight gain, reduce the intake of calorie and lose weight. But, some research recommends that consuming aspartame consumer could result in weight gain, even the basis remains unknown.

Avoidance and managing diabetes: Aspartame, first of foremost contains amino acids, which are phenylalanine and aspartate which is not a carbohydrate. So, it is improbable to boost the level of blood sugar without compromising the sweetness of your beverage and food. This makes this sugar alternative a great alternative to usual sugar for those suffering diabetes.

Prevent Dental Cavities: Not like usual sugar, this synthetic sweetener doesn’t enhance the chance of having tooth decay.

Aspartame: What are the cons?

Aspartame is one of the most controversial artificial sweeteners. There are numerous websites, books, and articles stating various reasons why aspartame should not be consumed. Some site studies to support their theories while others base their claims on industry-related conspiracies. One fact is that aspartame does get metabolized, meaning that it doesn’t get excreted in the same form that it is when ingested. This is the reason why it can’t be consumed by people with the metabolism disorder PKU. The following is a summary of some of the controversial dangers of consuming aspartame.

Industry conspiracies: Conflicts of interest in the studies performed on aspartame and the way in which its approval was obtained is an ongoing controversy. Dr. Robert Walton surveyed the studies of aspartame in the peer-reviewed medical literature. He states that of the 166 studies felt to have relevance for questions of human safety, 74 had Nutrasweet industry (those who make aspartame) related funding and 92 were independently funded. One hundred percent of the research performed by the company who makes aspartame confirmed aspartame’s safety, whereas 92% of the independently funded research found problems with consuming aspartame. Other reports of federal employees working for the companies responsible for the testing and distribution of aspartame are cited on all of the sites and books opposing the use of aspartame.

Aspartame disease: H.J. Roberts, MD, coined the term “aspartame disease” in a book filled with over 1,000 pages of information about the negative health consequences of ingesting aspartame. Dr. Roberts reports that by 1998, aspartame products were the cause of 80% of complaints to the FDA about food additives. Some of these symptoms include headache, dizziness, change in mood, vomiting or nausea, abdominal pain, and cramps, change in vision, diarrhea, seizures/convulsions, memory loss, and fatigue. Along with these symptoms, links to aspartame are made for fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, tinnitus, joint pain, unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus, and various cancers. While the FDA has assured us that the research does not show any adverse health complications from aspartame, there has been some evidence to suggest that some of the following symptoms can be related to aspartame.

Headaches: One study confirmed that individuals with self-reported headaches after the ingestion of aspartame were indeed susceptible to headaches due to aspartame. Three randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with more than 200 adult migraine sufferers showed that headaches were more frequent and more severe in the aspartame-treated group.

Depression: In a study of the effect of aspartame on 40 patients with depression, the study was cut short due to the severity of reactions within the first 13 patients tested. The outcome showed that individuals with mood disorders were particularly sensitive to aspartame and recommended that it be avoided by them.

Cancer: In an initial study, 12 rats out of 320 developed malignant brain tumors after receiving aspartame in an FDA trial. There have been other studies to both support and contradict this finding. A recent study, conducted by Italian and French researchers indicates there is no association between low-calorie sweeteners and cancer. The researchers evaluated a variety of studies between the years of 1991 and 2004. These studies assessed the relationship between low-calorie sweeteners and many cancers, including oral and pharynx, esophagus, colon, rectum, larynx, breast, ovary, prostate, and renal cell carcinomas. The researchers examined the eating habits of more than 7,000 men and women in their middle ages (mainly 55 years and over). Based on the data evaluated, there was no evidence that saccharin or other sweeteners (mainly aspartame) increase the risk of cancer at several common sites in humans. The debate continues while more research is conducted.

Increased hunger: A study done with 14 dieters comparing the effects of aspartame-sweetened and sucrose-sweetened soft drinks on food intake and appetite ratings found that substituting diet drinks for sucrose-sweetened ones did not reduce total calorie intake and may even have resulted in a higher intake on subsequent days. In another study of 42 males given aspartame in diet lemonade versus sucrose-sweetened lemonade, there was no increase in hunger ratings or food intake with the diet group. Weight loss results from consuming fewer calories than your body needs. When you replace a caloric beverage with a noncaloric beverage, you will be saving calories and could lose weight if it is enough calories to put you in a negative balance. For aspartame to increase weight, there would have to be something else going on. There is not enough research to determine if something does exist so the jury is still out on this one.