Fw: [ER4YT-O] More about Licorice..for bloodtype
For blood type "O" folks.
These tidbits are from here and there on MotherNature.com. Don’t miss
the
RA reference in the third selection, those of you with rheumatoid
arthritis.
Not just for ulcers, this licorice stuff.
"Licorice root may seem a surprising choice for helping the skin, but
re-searchers find that it combats many types of dermatitis, improves
liver
health, reduces skin inflammation and is useful in treating symptoms of
stress and allergies."
*******
"Licorice has been found to neutralize liver toxins. The Chinese may
have
been the first to use licorice to treat the liver. In modern times,
licorice
has been studied by the Research Group of Liver Disease at the Shanxi
Medical College in China. Since the 1950s, medical doctors in both the
East
and the West have used a compound derived from licorice to treat chronic
hepatitis. In Japan, glycyrrhizin, a compound extracted from licorice,
was
found to be so successful in treating hepatitis that it was written up
in at
least three scientific journals. One of these reported that licorice
increased the production of interferon, which is commonly used to treat
hepatitis B. "
*****
"In China, herbalists use bupleurum, ginseng and licorice to reduce or
relieve pain resulting from inflammation. All three of these herbs
stimulate
the pituitary and adrenal glands to increase natural production of
adrenal
hormones such as cortisone that reduce the inflammation and consequent
pain
caused by conditions such as arthritis. And while prescription drugs
such as
prednisone produce adverse side effects, these herbs have quite the
opposite
effect-the drugs eventually shrink the size of your adrenal glands,
impairing their function, but bupleurum and ginseng reduce adrenal
shrinkage. According to the results of a 1984 study, when bupleurum is
taken
in conjunction with the prescription drugs, compounds in the herb even
repair the damage already done by the drugs.
Some of the side effects that can come with taking cortisone are
depression,
thymus atrophy, high cholesterol and decreased levels of the
neurotransmitter serotonin and the pituitary hormone ACTH. Studies have
shown that licorice prevents all of these and also stops the liver from
breaking down and deactivating your body’s natural cortisone too
quickly.
Licorice also appears to enhance the action of bupleurum. Of course, it
took
Western researchers a while to catch on to licorice’s versatility. At
first,
they were investigating how a licorice-based cream reduced the pain and
swelling of skin inflammation problems such as eczema. Finally, they
realized it might also have potential to help people with arthritis when
taken internally. Sure enough, licorice proved very effective.
Licorice and ginseng offer another benefit to people with rheumatoid
arthritis-they enhance the immune system. So do several other herbs used
successfully to treat arthritis. Dr. Lawrence Leventhal, who was
mentioned
at the beginning of this section, is interested in the use of gamma
linoleic
acid (GLA), which is found in evening primrose, borage and black currant
oils, to reduce inflammation, boost immunity and help maintain cell
membranes in painful inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid
arthritis. In
his study of people who suffer from this condition, GLA significantly
improved the symptoms of joint tenderness and swelling in those who took
it
daily for six months. "
Aikya