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CAUTION ask your doctor before beginning any herb to be sure it might benefit you.
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Açai
Brazilian palm
Euterpe oleracea mart |
BENEFICIAL Açai palm is a genus of 25-30 species of palms. It is a very tall slender plant, growing upwards of 15 to 25 m. Acai grows in the Amazon Rainforest and is very perishable. The berries deteriorate rapidly after harvest, so outside its growing region it is generally only available as juice or frozen fruit pulp. Acai berries have essential minerals like potassium, iron, phosphorus and calcium. Açai berry is also an excellent source of dietary fiber, extremely rich in organic vegetable protein that lowers the bad cholesterol and raises the good cholesterol. Açai berries have Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acids. Locally grown hearts of palm has also been shown to be beneficial. The Açai berry is available as dried pulp. Because of its high phenolic content, the phytochemical-enriched Açai oil from Açai fruit offers a promising alternative to traditional tropical oils for food, supplements, and cosmetics. |
Acrylamide
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AVOID Acrylamide is a known carcinogen in laboratory animals. It impairs fertility in male animals, and causes nerve damage to humans exposed in the workplace (FSA, 2002). It is best avoided with PKD and PLD. French fries, potato chips, and coffee, are some foods high in acrylamide. Acrylamide can be formed by high heat cooking (such as baking) of starches in combination with sugars. With coffee it is the long roasting of the beans. A study by the USFDA proposed a mechanism that involves asparagine, which, when heated in the presence of glucose, forms acrylamide. Acrylamide is a known cancer producing agent. This has been studied in regards to renal cell carcinoma. With PKD there is also an increased incidence of renal cell carcinoma. The studies did not find a relationship between renal cell carcinoma and acrylamide, but it was studied by (3) different researchers three different times around the world. To be safe, diminish any acrylamide exposure.
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Alfalfa
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AVOID Alfalfa sprouts are one sprout to avoid. It produces a process
in the sprouting that can create difficulties for kidneys. Alfalfa sprouts contain l-canavanine, an unusual amino acid that has been known to result in some toxicity and joint stiffness in humans. Alfalfa sprouts are best avoided. For an added zip to
salads, try broccoli sprouts, bean sprouts, radish sprouts, or sunflower seed sprouts. To learn more about sprouting your own, try Sproutman.
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Angelica
(Angelica sinensis)
Dong Quai |
AVOID Angelica or Dong Quai is often called female ginseng. Six different coumadin compounds have been
identified in Angelica. This is a Chinese herb and as such normally the root is used. Coumadin found in Angelica, is a potent blood thinner.
A Kaiser study
done in Northern California USA showed there to be no effect in preventing hot flashes. The essential oil in dong quai contains Ligustilide.
This is useful as an anti-spasmodic.
ALERT Put aside for two weeks prior to any surgery.
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Artichoke
(Cynara scolymus)
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BENEFICIAL The ancients considered artichokes to have many benefits.
Artichokes, including leaves, were thought to be an aphrodisiac, a diuretic,
a breath freshener and even a deodorant. Decoctions of artichoke leaves
have been used as blood cleansers, cholerics, to improve bile production
and secretion and to detoxify the liver and the skin.
The
globe artichoke is a member of the Composite family, closely related to the thistle.
The part we eat is from the immature flower bud. Artichokes are nutrient
dense, so, for the 25 calories in a medium artichoke, you're getting
16 essential nutrients! Artichokes provide the important minerals magnesium,
chromium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, iron and calcium. For example,
that 25 calorie artichoke provides 6% of the Recommended Daily Value
of phosphorus, 10% of magnesium, 8% of manganese, 10% of chromium, 5%
of potassium, 4% of iron and 2% of calcium and iron. Artichoke leaf
extracts have demonstrated great benefits on the gallbladder with the
ability to stimulate the secretion of bile in the liver, to detoxify
the liver which in turn helps to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
In addition other compounds in the leaves have been shown to possess
a hypoglycemic effect.In the 1970s, European scientists first documented
cynarin's ability to lower cholesterol in humans. Over the years, other
researchers have continued to document artichoke's or cynarin's effect
in this area. One of the more recent studies, published in 2000, was
a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study that used an artichoke
leaf extract that was standardized to its cynarin content. For six weeks,
143 patients with high cholesterol were given the extract; at the end
of the test, results showed a decrease of 10%-15% in total cholesterol,
low density lipoprotein (LDL), and ratio of LDL to high-density lipoprotein
(HDL) cholesterol. Scientists now report that the cholesterol-lowering
effect of artichoke can be attributed to chemicals other than just cynarin,
including several newly discovered ones.
The liver detoxifying and protective properties of artichoke first came
to the attention of researchers in 1966 (in a study that supported its
effect on liver regeneration in rats). A 1987 study that focused on
the effects of rat liver cells subjected to harmful chemical agents
found both cynarin to have significant protective effects. Current
research is showing benefits to the liver from cynarin, a compound found
in the artichoke's leaves. Silymarin is another compound found in artichokes
that has powerful antioxidant properties and may help the liver regenerate
healthy tissue. The appearance of the artichoke flower is similar to
milk thistle flower. Both herbs contain high amounts of silymarin, a
potent liver healing herb. It may potentiate cholesterol lowering drugs. NOTE both artichoke and milk thistle have a thistle flower and both herbs are useful for cystic livers. A combination capsule of milk thistle, artichoke, and turmeric some have found helpful for liver cysts.
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Basil
(Ocimum basilicum)
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BENEFICIAL Recently, there has been much research into the health benefits conferred by the essential oils found in basil. Scientific studies have established that compounds in basil oil have potent antioxidant hence anti-aging, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties. In addition, basil has been shown to decrease the occurrence of platelet aggregation and experimental thrombus in mice. It is traditionally used for supplementary treatment of stress, asthma and diabetes in India.
ALERT Basil, like other aromatic plants such as fennel and tarragon, contains estragole, a known carcinogen and teratogen in rats and mice. While human effects are currently unstudied, the rodent experiments indicate that it would take 100–1000 times the normal anticipated exposure to become a cancer risk. |
Bilberry
Huckleberry
(vaccinium Myrtillus)
Myrtle
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BENEFICIAL The major American use for
bilberry fruit is to treat ocular disorders; it is used to aid night
vision, prevent the development and progression of cataracts, treat
diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, and prevent glaucoma.
European herbalists also rely on bilberry to treat mild diarrhea and
mild oral irritation. Its constituents include tannins, anthocyanosides
and flavonoids.
Common
names: bilberry, blaeberry, heidelberry, huckleberry, hurtleberry, whortleberry
Bilberry enjoys a long medical history. Hildegard of Bingen, the famous
Fifteenth Century nun, musician and herbalist, recommended bilberry
to induce menses. It has been used historically as a treatment for fevers,
coughs, renal stones and urinary tract infections intestinal and liver
disorders, hemorrhoids, and infections of the skin and mucus membranes.
It was also used to treat a variety of eye disorders including myopia,
eyestrain, impaired night vision and cataracts. It is akin to the blueberry,
one of the fruits highest in anti-oxidant properties. |
Black Cohosh
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AVOID Black Cohosh is another alternative herbal treatment called remifemin. Effexor might be a better alternative. 2006 Study SEATTLE -- Black cohosh alone or with other botanical therapies was no better than placebo at relieving hot flashes or other vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause, found the Herbal Alternatives for Menopause (HALT) trial. It has been used for hot flashes
in breast cancer patients with estrogen binding tumors. The cancers did not grow and this relieved a small percentage of hot flashes.
Black cohosh contains salicylic (a component of aspirin) and it appears
to act as a phytoestrogen. (Others have noticed with soy a potent phytoestrogen,
an increase in growth of liver cysts). Black Cohosh suppress luteinizing
hormone surges associated with hot flashes in menopausal woman. It is
specific for headaches in the late luteal phase associated with low
estrogen levels. It has been shown in the animal model that it prevents 7% decline in breast cancer.
Avoid black cohosh unknown if it might cause kidney and liver cyst enlargement. Some benefit from hot flashes has been seen from the non-hormonal drug Effexor.
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Cacao
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AVOID I have considered planting and growing my own cacao. In the tropics, cacao grows on a tree and yields a beautiful golden elongated fruit, similar to a gourd. A white sticky sweet gelatin is attached to the seeds or pods. This can be scraped off and eaten, yielding a sweet sour taste. The pods, the beans, or the seeds, as they are sometimes called; are allowed to dry in the sun. Once fully dry, they are roasted in an oven and can be pounded, added to coconut milk or almond milk to make rich chocolate drink.
I went through this process to see if perhaps whole natural unprocessed chocolate, chocolate nibs, directly dried and ground from the plant itself, might not raise my own blood pressure. However, It did. Raw chocolate kept my blood pressure elevated for (3) three full days. Carob chocolates, might be an alternative to chocolate.
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Chamomile
(Matricaria recutita)
manzanilla
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BENEFICIAL Chamomile has been known to decrease inflammation surrounding the kidney. Use with caution if allergic to ragweed and if taking blood thinners. The herbal plant used in this study was German chamomile (Matricaria recutita), also known as manzanilla, whose flowers and leaves are brewed as a fragrant, flavorful tea. The study involved fourteen volunteers (seven women and seven men) who each drank five cups of the herbal tea daily for two consecutive weeks. Daily urine samples were taken and tested throughout the study, both before and after drinking chamomile tea.
The researchers found that drinking the tea was associated with a significant increase in urinary levels of hippurate, a breakdown product of certain plant-based compounds known as phenolics, some of which have been associated with increased antibacterial activity. This could help explain why the tea appears to boost the immune system and fight infections associated with colds, according to the researchers.
Drinking the tea also was associated with an increase in urinary levels of glycine, an amino acid that has been shown to relieve muscle spasms. This may explain why the tea appears to be helpful in relieving menstrual cramps in women, probably by relaxing the uterus, say the researchers. Glycine also is known to act as a nerve relaxant, which may also explain why the tea seems to act as a mild sedative, the scientists note. Glycine supplements are sold in stores for that purpose, they add. Chamomile is great for stress,
irritability, flagging appetite, relieving nausea and upset stomach.
Because of its high calcium, it helps premenstrual tension and allows for a good night's sleep. A favorite evening beverage is a cup of chamomile tea with tupelo honey. My chamomile tea favorite at the moment is made by Mighty Leaf - Chamomile Citrus. It comes packaged in these cute little silk bags that form pyramids. I place two used tea bags in the refrigerator and place them over my morning eyes to diminish any puffiness.
Clinical
studies have shown that chamomile has mild sedative effects when administered
as a tea. Animal studies have shown that Chamomile volatile oil when
administered orally to rabbits with impaired kidney function, normalized
the uremic condition. The flavonoid apigenin had shown
antihistaminic effects in animal studies.
Immune Stimulant: Chamomile stimulates the immune system's infection
fighting white blood cells (macrophages and B-lymphocytes). It is a very popular herbal product in Germany for wound care. The essential
oil was found to reduce the time required to heal burns. The herb kills
the yeast fungi that causes vaginal infections, as well as certain bacteria.
Chamomile impairs the replication of polio virus. Safety:
Chamomile is part of the Asteraceae plant family, which includes ragweed and chrysanthemum, so people with allergies may react when they use chamomile either internally or topically. Call your doctor if you experience vomiting, skin irritation, allergic reactions (chest tightness, wheezing, hives, rash, itching) after chamomile use. Chamomile should not be taken during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Chamomile contains coumarin, a naturally-occurring compound with anticoagulant or blood-thinning effects. It should not be combined with warfarin or other medications or supplements that have the same effect or be used by people with bleeding disorders.
ALERT Put aside for two weeks prior to any surgery.
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Chaparral
(Larrea tridentata)
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AVOID Chaparral tea is a traditional Native American treatment for cramping
pains, joint pains, and allergic problems. Modern research has revealed
that Chaparral contains nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) has potent
anti-inflammatory activity. Chaparral - Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) is likely the ingredient which is toxic
to cystic kidneys.
J
Urol. 1994 Dec: 152(6pt 1):2089-91 . . .acquired
renal cystic disease associated with consumption of chaparral tea: a
case report.
Chaparral
also contains antioxidant flavonoids and has demonstrated anti-amoeba
activity in test tubes.The
desert chaparral bush has the Latin name Larrea tridentata or Larrea diver-icata and is also know as
the greasewood or creosote bush. |
Chrysanthemum
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AVOID If allergic to ragweed or chamomile, there has been a cross over sensitivity with chrysanthemum tea. It would be unwise to eat the leaves, especially if they are dried, as this is the precursor for several anticoagulants. It contains coumarin and can prevent the blood from clotting. Chrysanthemum is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat hypertension, angina, and fevers. No clinical studies evaluating the safety in humans have been performed. Animal data suggest possible anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity Hypersensitivity and photosensitivity reactions are documented. Individuals allergic to ragweed should avoid this herb. Some studies indicate that chrysanthemum may have cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. Extracts of chrysanthemum show no effect on insulin levels. Common names: Chrysanthemum morifolium, Chrysanthemum sinense, Chrysanthemum japonense, Ox-eye Daisy Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum.
Put aside for two weeks prior to any surgery.
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Chilies
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AVOID Reduces platelet clumping, opens up blood vessels, stimulates blood circulation
and warms the body. Eating chilies increases thermogenesis, the body's
caloric burn rate. If you eat chilies with your meal, your body will
burn calories at an increased rate of about 25 percent. Capsaicin
prevents carcinogens from binding to DNA where they trigger the second
hit phenomena which occurs with PKD. This second hit starts cells mutating
which triggers cysts to form.
It provides
relief of pain especially painful cluster headaches. It opens clogged
sinuses. It also stimulates gastric secretions. Defends your body against
food-borne bacteria. Vibrio vulnificus bacteria sometimes found in raw
shellfish is inhibited by capsaicin. An externally applied cream first
produced in Germany (I had the pleasure of meeting the dermatologist
who thought to try this) has been used to help with the pain of shingles.
By ingesting hot chilies or rubbing the skin with a cream, this causes
an outpouring of calcium which numbs the pain receptors in a localized
area. At first it really burns. Christopher Columbus noticed hot peppers
(chiles) almost immediately after he struck land on this side of the
Atlantic. He soon sent a cargo back to Spain, suggesting that they might
be a good substitute for black pepper, one of the precious spices that
had caused merchant explorers to take to the sea in the first place.
Capsicum cream has been used to treat painful post herpetic neuralgia of herpes zoster. I met the dermatologist in Europe who had first tried this as a treatment. He explained that it is much
like eating a hot dish, the more frequently you eat a hot spicy dish,
eventually you need more and more chili to add some fire to the meal. Eventually the nerve endings become exhausted and the cream allows some relief from the painful episodes.
ALERT There maybe something in chilies that is not of benefit to the kidneys.
It is a member of the nightshade family it contains high amounts of
solanine which interferes with calcium absorption. From time to time,
I indulge in a hot chili or two to spice up guacamole. I sometimes experience
kidney and liver ache following this. If you have
liver cysts, it is a vegetable high in estrogens, as are all the nightshade
family of vegetables.
ALERT Put aside for two weeks prior to any surgery. |
Cinnamon
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BENEFICIAL Cinnamon has many health benefits: lowers blood sugar; slightly lowers cholesterol, it is a source of manganese, dietary fiber, iron and calcium; smelling the scent can improve memory; has anti inflammatory qualities; anti bacterial anti yeast. Its main usefulness is seen in regulating blood sugar. An active ingredient in cinnamon, proanthocyanidin, worms its way inside cells, where it activates the insulin receptor. Once this receptor is activated, whether by insulin or cinnamon, chemical reactions occur allowing the cell to use energy from sugar. Cinnamaldehyde (also called cinnamic aldehyde) has been well-researched for its effects on blood platelets. Platelets are constituents of blood that are meant to clump together under emergency circumstances (like physical injury) as a way to stop bleeding, but under normal circumstances, they can make blood flow inadequate if they clump together too much. The cinnaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets. The main source of coumarin in the diet is cinnamon.
ALERT May increase GERD by the lowering the pressure in the abdominal sphincter.
ALERT Put aside for two weeks prior to any surgery.
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Chocolate
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AVOID I have considered planting and growing my own chocolate. On the islands, cacao grows on a tree and yields a beautiful golden elongated fruit, similar to a gourd. A white sticky sweet gelatin is attached to the seeds or pods. This can be scraped off and eaten, yielding a sweet sour taste. The pods, the beans, or the seeds, as they are sometimes called; are allowed to dry in the sun. Once fully dry, they are roasted in an oven and can be pounded, added to coconut milk or almond milk to make rich chocolate drink.
I went through this process to see if perhaps whole natural unprocessed chocolate, chocolate nibs, directly dried and ground from the plant itself, might not raise my own blood pressure. However, It did. Raw chocolate kept my blood pressure elevated for (3) three full days. Carob chocolates, might be an alternative to chocolate.
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Clover
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AVOID Clover honey, one of the most common and inexpensive honeys available. Clover is an estrogen disrupter and can greatly increase liver cyst growth.
In the 1940's, the sheep farmers
of Perth in western Australia began to experience an epidemic of still
births despite three seasons of exceptionally good weather. The handsome
merino sheep looked healthy. However, the ewe's failed to go into labor;
the lambs died in still birth and often the mothers as well. In a matter
of 5 years, the ewes failed to conceive at all even after repeated breeding
with fertile rams. Federal and agricultural specialists found the problem. It was clover.
Fifteen
years earlier, ranchers had imported a clover variety from the Mediterranean
region in Europe. The first scientific paper on this phenomenon appeared
in the Australian Veterinary Journal in 1946 and proclaimed this as
"clover disease". Three years later (3) chemicals were identified
as suspects. Formononetin only one of the chemicals was determined
to be the culprit. Formononetin strongly mimics estrogen.
From the first article below, GEN is the same isoflavone in both soy and clover.
"Hence, it is an open question whether GEN has exclusively beneficial effects, as claimed by industrial companies, or whether they are endocrine disrupters that endanger the mammary gland or the uterus. Furthermore, little is known about the biological effects of GEN after long-term oral administration, which is the common method of treatment in postmenopausal women."
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Coffee
(Coffea arabica)
Botanical:
Coffea arabica (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Rubiaceae |
AVOID avoid harmful for all cysts. Avoid coffee if you have PKD, and especially if you have PLD or liver cysts. This
stimulates cAmp which in turn stimulates cyst growth.
The coffee shrub
was introduced into Arabia early in the fifteenth century from Abyssinia,
and for two centuries Arabia supplied the world's coffee; at the end
of the seventeenth century the Dutch introduced the plant into Batavia,
and from there a plant was presented to Louis XIV in 1714. All the coffee
now imported from Brazil has been imported from that single plant. The
European use of coffee dates from the sixteenth century when it was
introduced into Constantinople, and a century later in 1652 the first
coffee shop was opened in London. In 1858 the quantity imported into
the United Kingdom was over sixty million pounds. In Turkey the consumption
is enormous, and so necessary is it considered that the refusal to supply
a reasonable amount to a Turk's wife is considered a legal cause for
divorce.
Put aside for two weeks prior to any surgery.
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Cola Nut
(Kola Nut)
Cola acuminata
Cola nitada
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AVOID Some cultures chew Kola Nuts to retard fatigue and hunger. Kola nuts have a bitter initial taste, then a slightly sweet taste follows. Kola Nuts sweeten any food or drink taken immediately afterward. Kola nuts contain caffeine and theobromine, and are famous for their use in 'Cola' soft drinks. Kola nuts contain large significant amounts of caffeine. Caffeine is harmful to cyst growth by triggering cAMP, which can increase the number of cysts and the size of cystic organs.
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