“The choice between $75 prescription sleeping pills or a $5 herbal alternative is a no-brainer for Cathy and Bernard Birleffi, whose insurance costs have skyrocketed along with the nation’s financial woes.

The Calistoga, Calif., couple seem to reflect a trend. With many Americans putting off routine doctor visits and self-medicating to save money, use of alternative treatments is on the rise — even though evidence is often lacking on their safety and effectiveness.

Climbing sales of herbal medicines have paralleled the tanking economy, according to an Associated Press review of recent data from market-watchers and retailers.

One prominent example: Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market Inc. says its stores nationwide have seen an increase in sales of nutritional supplements and herbal products in the past several weeks. That’s “noteworthy” given the retail industry’s financial slump, said Whole Foods spokesman Jeremiah C. McElwee.

While winter is usually a busy time for herbal medicine sales because it’s the season for colds and flu, “more people are value shopping” now because of the economy, McElwee said.

Cathy Birleffi says she’s among them. Read Entire Story HERE

The story is especially  relevant in light of the tough economic times that we are experiencing right now. Natural medicine is better for us health wise and money wise.

Alternative medicine, also generally known as traditional and folk medicine has been making a powerful come back for years. Among these “alternatives” is what we will call Herbal Alternative Medicine. Herbal alternative medicine is not quackery but rather a healing system.

Many people, even many medical doctors are great proponents of herbal alternative medicine, and the information on these remedies increase on a regular basis. Herbal alternative medicine is and has been used for things such as bleeding gums, toothache, headaches, cuts, blood pressure problems and many other problems suffered by people who did not have adequate medical care. In fact, for centuries, herbal alternative medicine provided safe and effective relief for a variety of symptoms.

Herbal alternative medicine has come a long way, and as such provides welcome relief for those experiencing the high cost of medical care.

More And More People Turning To Alternative Therapies

Among a total of 1,559 individuals age 50 and older surveyed in the spring of 2006, 63 percent reported having used one or more complementary and alternative medicine therapies. Forty-five percent of complementary and alternative medicine enthusiasts used massage therapy, chiropractic manipulation or other bodywork; 42 percent used herbal or dietary supplements; 15 percent used mind/body practices, 14 percent used naturopathy, acupuncture, or homeopathy; and 10 percent had tried energy therapies.

Among prescription drug users, 16% also took an herbal/supplement. In any given week, most US adults take at least 1 medication, and many take multiple agents.

Herbal medicine continues to be a major market in the U.S. The rise of herbal medicine training programs and funded studies on herbal medicine and its powerful healing properties can be seen in natural health literature.

Herbal Alternative Medicine Side Effects?

For most herbs it would take incredible amounts to cause serious negative side-effects. For instance some herbs can speed heart rate, or slightly raise blood pressure etc.—So by following the labels on herbal products and/or seeking consultation from practitioners—especially if you are on medication or have a history of serious illness, you should do quite well with Herbal Alternative Medicine.

Keith M Henry is the Director of phase 3ministries, based in Orlando FL. He is medical missionary herbalist, and Naturopathic doctor . Download your free copy of his report, Emergency Herbal Medicine, HERE. It may very well save your life.

Alternative Medicine

Glaucoma- Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that involve an increase in fluid pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure) that develops when the drainage mechanism for this fluid becomes impaired. The increased pressure damages the optic nerve. If not treated it can lead to blindness.

More About Glaucoma

• Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world according to the World Health Organization.
• It is estimated that over 3 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it.
• Approximately 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness in the U.S.
• Typically develops after age forty
• Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African-Americans than Caucasians.
• Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans.
• African-Americans ages 45-65 are 14 to 17 times more likely to go blind from glaucoma than Caucasians with glaucoma in the same age group.
• Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted.

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Early Symptoms Include:

Blind spots

Blurred vision

Loss of peripheral vision (resulting in tunnel vision).

Halos around lights

Eye pain and redness

Inability to adjust to darker conditions

NATURAL REMEDIES

DIET: Improper diet is the most common cause of Glaucoma i.e., overeating, eating the wrong foods, not eating the right foods, not enough raw live foods in the diet, combining the wrong foods etc. Eat plenty of Anti-Oxidant foods they lower intraocular pressure! i.e., bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, citrus fruits, brussel sprouts, guava, kale, parsley, strawberries.

Diet should be rich in Vitamin C. Studies show that (2000 mg or more per day) reduces intraocular pressure.

Supplementation: Vitamin C as mentioned above, a good vitamin mineral supplement, beta-carotene (vitamin-A precursor), Vitamin B2, B12 helps prevent the pressure from worsening, Coenzyme Q10 (3 mg. daily) helps lower intraocular pressure; take together with 400 milligrams of vitamin E.

Omega-3 fatty acids help unclog the eye’s drainage system, so the fluid can properly leak out, and hereby reduce the pressure. Take 1,000 mg of flaxseed oil daily in capsules or 2 Tbsp. Magnesium dilates blood vessels- one study found that people given 245 mg daily experienced improvement within 4 weeks.

Another study found that 17 of 26 who took the bioflavonoid, rutin (20 mg, 3 times per day) showed definite improvement.

HERBS

Jaborandi is a herb that comes from a tropical tree in South America. It has been used to treat Glaucoma for hundreds of years. The active ingredient is Pilocarpine which reduces intraocular pressure. The ingredient piolcarpine, was synthesized in 1930, and is now often prescribed in eye drops to treat various types of Glaucoma. One application takes effect in about 15 minutes and protects the eye for about 24 hours.

Oregno-One of the richest herbs in anti-oxidents 1-2 tsp. of dried oregeno in a cup of boiling water to lower intraocular pressure.

Bilberry-Contains compounds that retard the breakdown of vitamin C and thus helps that powerful anti-oxidant do its job. Bilberry is also recommended for preventive measures.

Dr. Christopher N.D., used the formula below to heal Glaucoma, and cataracts.

Herbal Wash for the Eyes:

This formula is excellent for brightening and healing eyes, and it is known to remove the cataracts and heavy film from the eyes. Eyebright should also be taken internally.

1 part  Bayberry bark (Myrica cerifera)

1/8 part Cayenne (Capsicum fastigiatum, Capsicum minimum)

1 part  Eyebright herb (Euphrasia officinalis)

1 part  Golden seal root (Hydrastis canadensis)

1 part  Red raspberry leaves (Rubus idaeus)

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Keith Henry is a medical missionary herbalist, and Naturopathic Doctor. He is the Director of Phase 3 Ministries Inc., based in Orlando, FL. Check out his HERB SHACK .

Sources: (1) Prevent Blindness America; (2) National Eye Health Program/National Institutes of Health; (3) American Academy of Ophthalmology; (4) Racial differences in the cause-specific prevalence of blindness in east Baltimore. N Engl J Med. 1991 Nov 14;325(20):1412-7; (5) Quigley, “Number of people with glaucoma worldwide,” 1996; (6) NEI, Report of the Glaucoma Panel, Fall 1998; The Green Pharmacy, Dr. James A. Duke Ph.D; Natural Remedies Encyclopedia; Vance Ferrell, Dr. E. Archbold, M.D.; Harold M. Cherne, M.D.; The Complete Writings of Dr. John Christopher