Herbs for Cats

People who are interested in holistic medicine are often interested in using natural methods with their pets. Animals are instinctively drawn to certain plants for certain needs that they have. For instance, cats will often nibble on grass. This is their way of taking a laxative.

As holistic medicine has become more popular for humans, it has become more popular for treating pets as well. There is now an American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association that is dedicated to using natural remedies for animals. Following are a list of several herbs and how they can help your cat.

Dill - is an herb that can relieve a cats upset stomach, nausea and flatulence. You can crush some dill and add it to your cat's food dish, or make a tea and add a few drops to their wet food.

Eyebright - can help ease irritation and can clear up a discharge coming from your cat's eyes. To enhance the healing process you can make an infusion of eyebright. You may need a dropper to get the cooled tea into your cat's mouth.

Cat Grass - Cat grass is usually wheat grass, oat grass, barley grass or orchard grass. Cat grass does not give your cat a high like catnip, but the cats do seem to enjoy it. Cats eat it for various reasons; to induce vomiting to bring up hairballs, or for a laxative that helps the hairballs pass through the system.

Parsley - Another herb that cats often nibble on is parsley. It helps with their digestion and with kidney ailments. Veterinarians say parsley is good to support your cat's urinary health because it is antifungal and fights infection. Parsley is included in a lot of health supplements for cats.

Catnip - is loved by felines the world over. It makes them feel good and relieves them of stress and nervousness. A catnip tea bath can be used to soothe itchy ski on your cat. 

If you  have any questions about using herbs for your cat consult your veterinarian. Do not use essential oils on cats. Their bodies don't metabolized it well and it can be toxic.

Sources:

Rogers, Lura, Ten Herbs for a Happy, Healthy Cat, 2011, Storey Publishing, LLC
http://www.petmd.com/cat/wellness/evr ct herbs
http://www.cat-world,com.au/General-Cat-Articles/catgrass.html
http://pets.thenest.com/parsley-cats-4108.html 

Go to my website at www.valerielull.com and learn more. My new book Ten Spices for Health and Longevity, is available at amazon. Here is the link  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Ten+Spices+for+Health+and+Longevity

Valerie Lull

Author

Ten Healthy Teas

Ten Spices for  Health and Longevity

valerielull923@gmail.com

Pistachios: A Healthy Snack

When people get involved in good nutrition, there is often the problem of what to have for a snack. There are fruits and berries, veggies, seeds and nuts. One very tasty little nut is the pistachio. It makes a great snack and is full of good nutrition. In fact, pistachios are one of the most healthful nuts around. One serving gives you over 30 vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Pistachios contain nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fiber. They have vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-6, C, E and K.  They also contain lutein and zeaxanthin which are nutrients that are good for your eyes. Pistachios contain mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid; they have antioxidants. 

The minerals in pistachios include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Pistachios are one nut that does not contain sodium. This makes it a good snack for folks who have hypertension and are watching their salt intake. Pistachios are considered a heart healthy food. You can get them both salted and unsalted.

Pistachios are good for weight management because they are low in calories, high in protein and you have to shell them as you eat  them. That means you get the full feeling while eating less of them. The other advantage of pistachios is that they just taste good. I love them.

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22458696
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/seed-and-nut/health-benefits-of-pistachio.html

Be sure to check out my new website at www.valerielull.com.www.valerielull.com I also have a new book out called Ten Spices for Health and Longevity. It is available at www.amazon.com  Type in the title or look under Kindle books.

Valerie Lull
Herbalist,  author
Ten Healthy Teas
Ten Spices for Health and Longevity
valerielull923@gmail.com

Green Tea and Cancer

Green tea is very popular in alternative medicine circles. It is one of the most studied substances in the world of health beverages. Green tea has long been seen in the role of cancer prevention and in some cases a cancer treatment. An article in Medical News Today discusses a study that reveals how EGCG, a component of green tea, can disrupt the metabolism of cancer cells in pancreatic cancer. The researchers see green tea as a new approach to studying cancer prevention. 

In actuality, claims for the use of green tea for cancer prevention have been around for many years and many studies have been done on this topic. According to the National Cancer Institute the following substances in green tea, EGCG, EGC, ECG and EC, are polyphenols that have antioxidant activity that inhibit tumor cells from multiplying and induce cell death in lab and animal studies.  

The American Association for Cancer Research produced research findings in 2012 that show how green tea may work to prevent or slow down prostate and breast cancers. There is also some recent findings from Penn State University that link green tea with targeting oral cancer cells. 

While all this research looks promising, and certainly 2 cups of green tea a day probably will not hurt you, be sure to consult your doctor before using green tea for a cancer treatment. You may be able to use it as an adjunct along with your cancer treatment, but do consult your oncologist first.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277583.php
http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/tea-fact-sheet
http://news.psu.edu/story/342487/2015/01/28research/green-tea-ingredient-may-target-protein-kill-oral-cancer-cells

Be sure to check out my new website at www.valerielull.com  I also have a page on facebook, it is called Ten Healthy Teas.

My new book Ten Spices for Health and Longevity is now published and available on Amazon.com. It is an ebook. If it does well, I will later come out with a paperback version.

Valerie Lull
Author
Ten Spices for Health and Longevity
Ten Healthy Teas
valerielull923@gmail.com

Herbs for Bruises

I remember as a child that I would often fall and have bruises and sometimes sprains. My mother had some remedies for them and as my interest in herbs grew I learned of several ways to treat unsightly black and blue bruises. Nature has solutions for our ailments and here are a few remedies for bruising .

.Arnica, Arnica Montana, also known as mountain daisy is helpful for bruises. It has pain relieving properties and is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Be sure not to take it internally it can cause stomach pain and vomiting. Arnica is available as a gel and as a cream.

Potato can be used for bruises. It is an old folk remedy and you use a raw potato. It can be grated and applied to the bruised area as a poultice. Potatoes are cheap and readily available.

St. John's wort, hypericum perforatum, is used for many things besides depression.There is a remedy where you steep steep 2 teaspoons of dried herb in vegetable oil for a few days. This oil can be applied on bruises.

Witch-Hazel, hamamelis,  is an astringent and is a popular remedy. I remember my mother and grandmother using this for bruises. You can get it at any pharmacy and it is inexpensive.


 Sources:
Duke, James A. The Green Pharmacy, Rodale, 1997
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-721-arnica.aspx?activeingredientid=721&activeingredientname=arnica
http://www.drugs.com/npc/arnica.html
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-227-witch%20hazel.aspx?activeingredientid=227&activeingredientname=witch%20hazel

Be sure to check out my new website at www.valerielull.com

Valerie Lull
Author
Ten Healthy Teas
valerielull923@gmail.com