Categories
Herbs & Plants

Fritillaria Meleagris

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Botanical Name: Fritillaria Meleagris
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Fritillaria
Species: F. meleagris
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Liliales

Synonyms-: Lilium variegatum. Chequered Daffodil. Narcissus Caparonius. Turkey Hen. Ginny Flower.

Common Names: Snake’s head fritillary, Snake’s head (the original English name), Chess flower, Frog-cup, Guinea-hen flower, Guinea flower, Leper lily (because its shape resembled the bell once carried by lepers), Lazarus bell, Chequered lily, Chequered daffodil, Drooping tulip or, in northern Europe, simply Fritillary.

Habitat : Fritillaria meleagris is native to Europe and western Asia but in many places it is an endangered species that is rarely found in the wild but is commonly grown in gardens. In Croatia, the flower is known as kockavica and is associated by some with the country’s national symbol. It is the official flower of the Swedish province of Uppland, where it grows in large quantities every spring at the meadows in Kungsängen (Kings meadow), just outside Uppsala, which gives the flower its Swedish name, kungsängslilja (Lily of Kings meadow). It is also found for example in Sandemar Nature Reserve, a nature reserve west of Dalarö in Stockholm Archipelago. It grows on  damp meadows and pastures, especially on alkaline soils.

Description:

Fritillaria meleagris is a BULB growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in) at a medium rate.
It  is not frost tender. It is in flower from Apr to May, and the seeds ripen from Jun to July. The flower has a chequered pattern in shades of purple, or is sometimes pure white. It flowers from March to May and grows between 15–40 cm (6–16 in) in height Spread: 0.50 to 0.75 feet,  The flowers are checkered reddish-brown, purple, white, gray. The plant has a button-shaped bulb, about 2 cm in diameter, containing poisonous alkaloids. It grows in grasslands in damp soils and river meadows at altitudes up to 800 m (2,625 ft)....CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, self.The plant is self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

 

Cultivation:
Now easily available as an ornamental spring bulb for the garden, it is commonly sold as a mixture of different coloured cultivars. The pure white-flowered variety F. meleagris var. unicolor subvar. alba has gained the Royal Horticultural Society‘s Award of Garden Merit.

Medicinal Uses:
It is said that Fritillaria Meleagris have no medicinal value, though from its presence on the elaborate allegorical frontispiece of the old Herbal of Clusius, Rariorum Plantarum Historia, published in 1601, it bore at that time a reputation as a herb of healing.

Known Hazards:  The bulb is poisonous.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritillaria_meleagris
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/f/fritil33.html
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=q720Related articles

http://www.pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Fritillaria+meleagris

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Veronica beccabunga

Botanical Name: Veronica beccabunga
Family:    Plantaginaceae
Genus:    Veronica
Species:    V. beccabunga
Kingdom:    Plantae
Order:    Lamiales

Synonyms:  Water Pimpernel. Becky Leaves. Cow Cress. Horse Cress. Housewell. Grass. Limewort. Brooklembe. Limpwort. Wall-ink. Water-Pumpy. Well-ink.

Common NamesBrooklime, European speedwell

Habitat:  Brooklime is found in all parts of Great Britain, being very common and generally distributed, occurring as far north as the Shetlands, and in the Highlands ascending up to 2,800 feet. It is found in Ireland and the Channel Islands.

Description:
Veronica beccabunga is a perennial plant  growing to 0.6 m (2ft).  It grows abundantly in shallow streams, ditches, the margins of ponds, etc., flourishing in the same situations as Water Cress and Water Mint, throwing out stout, succulent, hollow stems that root and creep along the ground at the base, giving off roots at intervals, and then ascend, bearing pairs of short, stalked, oval-oblong leaves, smooth, about 1 1/2 inch long, slightly toothed on their margin and thick and leathery in texture. The whole plant is very smooth and shiny in appearance, turning blackish in drying. The flowers are rather numerous, in lax, axillary racemes, 2 to 4 inches long, given off in pairs, whereas in Germander, Speedwell, only one flower stem rises from each pair of leaves. They begin to open in May and continue in succession through the greater part of the summer, though are at their best in May and June. The corollas are bright blue, with darker veins and a white eye, the petals oval and unequal. Occasionally a pink form is found. …CLICK  &  SEE  THE  PICTURES

The flower is adapted for cross-fertilization in the same manner as Veronica chamaedrys, the stamens and style projecting from the flower and forming an alighting place for insects. The petals are wide open in the sun but only partly expanded in dull weather. The flowers are much visited by insects, especially by a fly, Syritta pipians. The Honey Bee is also a visitor and some other small wild bees. Two species of beetle and the larva of a moth, Athalia annulata, feed on the leaves. The capsule is round, flat notched and swollen and contains winged, smooth seeds.

The specific name of this plant seems to be derived from the German name, Bachbunge bach, signifying a brook, and bunge, a bunch. Another source given for the specific name is from the Flemish beckpunge meaning ‘mouth smart,’ a name suggested by the pungency of its leaves, which were formerly eaten in salads. Dr. Prior tells us that the name Brooklime is in old writers Broklempe or Lympe, from its growing in the lime or mud of brooks, the Anglo-Saxon word lime, coming from the Latin limus, a word that from mud used in the rude buildings of Anglo-Saxon times, has come to be applied to the calcareous stone of which mortar is now made.

Cultivation:     
Easily grown in a moderately fertile wet soil, growing best in water up to 15cm deep. Prefers cool summers. Plants do not demand high light levels. A good bee plant.

Propagation:  
Seed – sow autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient, the seed can be sown in situ in the spring or the autumn. Division at almost any time in the growing season. Very easy, even a small part of the plant will root if put in water.

Edible Uses:   Leaves – raw or cooked. They can be added to salads, mixed with water cress or cooked with other strongly flavoured greens[9, 183]. A pungent flavour, although the leaves are wholesome they are not very palatable

Part Used in medicine: The whole Herb.

Constituents:  Tannin and a special bitter principle, a pungent volatile oil and some sulphur.

Medicinal  Uses:  Alterative, Diuretic. The leaves and young stems were once in favour as an antiscorbutic, and even now the young shoots are sometimes eaten in spring with those of Watercress, the two plants being generally found growing together. As a green vegetable, Brooklime isalso wholesome, but not very palatable.

In earlier days the leaves were applied to wounds, though their styptic qualities appear to be slight. They are sometimes bruised and put on burns.

The juice, with that of scurvy-grass and Seville oranges, formed the ‘spring juices’ once valued as an antiscorbutic.

The plant has always been a popular simple for scrofulous affections, especially of the skin. An infusion of the leaves is recommended for impurity of the blood, an ounce of them being infused in a pint of boiling water.

In the fourteenth century, Brooklime was used for many complaints, including swellings, gout, etc

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronica_beccabunga
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/brookl69.html
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Veronica+beccabunga

Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Fibromyalgia

Definition:Fibromyalgia (fye-bro-my-AL-gee-ah) is basically an arthritis-related condition that is characterized by generalized muscular pain and fatigue. The term “fibromyalgia” means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. This condition is referred to as a “syndrome” because it’s a set of signs and symptoms that occur together.
Fibromyalgia is a common condition characterized by long-term, body-wide pain and tender points in joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, morning stiffness, sleep problems, headaches, numbness in hands and feet, depression, and anxiety.

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Fibromyalgia can develop on its own or along with other musculoskeletal conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

Alternative Names:Fibromyositis; Fibrositis; Myofascial pain syndrome

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
The cause of this disorder is unknown. Physical or emotional trauma may play a role in development of the syndrome. Some evidence suggests that fibromyalgia patients have abnormal pain transmission responses.

It has been suggested that sleep disturbances, which are common in fibromyalgia patients, may actually cause the condition. Another theory suggests that the disorder may be associated with changes in skeletal muscle metabolism, possibly caused by decreased blood flow, which could cause chronic fatigue and weakness.

Others have suggested that an infectious microbe, such as a virus, triggers the illness. At this point, no such virus or microbe has been identified.

Pilot studies have shown a possible inherited tendency toward the disease, though evidence is very preliminary.

The disorder has an increased frequency among women 20 to 50 years old. The prevalence of the disease has been estimated between 0.7% and 13% for women, and between 0.2% and 3.9% for men.

Symptoms:
The overwhelming characteristic of fibromyalgia is long-standing, body-wide pain with defined tender points. Tender points are distinct from trigger points seen in other pain syndromes. Unlike tender points, trigger points can occur in isolation and represent a source of radiating pain, even in the absence of direct pressure.

Fibromyalgia pain can mimic the pain that occurs with various types of arthritis. However, the significant swelling, destruction, and deformity of joints seen in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis does not occur with fibromyalgia syndrome alone.

The soft-tissue pain of fibromyalgia is described as deep-aching, radiating, gnawing, shooting or burning, and ranges from mild to severe. Fibromyalgia sufferers tend to wake up with body aches and stiffness.

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For some patients, pain improves during the day and increases again during the evening, though many patients with fibromyalgia have day-long, unrelenting pain. Pain can increase with activity, cold or damp weather, anxiety, and stress.

Specific symptoms:
*Multiple tender areas (muscle and joint pain) on the back of the neck, shoulders, sternum, lower back, hips, shins, elbows, knees.
*Fatigue
*Sleep disturbances
*Body aches
*Reduced exercise tolerance
*Chronic facial muscle pain or aching

Signs and tests:
Diagnosis of fibromyalgia requires a history of a least three months of widespread pain, and pain and tenderness in at least 11 of 18 tender-point sites. These tender-point sites include fibrous tissue or muscles of the:

*Neck
*Shoulders
*Chest
*Rib cage
*Lower back
*Thighs
*Knees
*Arms (elbows)
*Buttocks

Sometimes, laboratory and x-ray tests are done to help confirm the diagnosis. The tests will also rule out other conditions that may have similar symptoms. The following conditions have been associated with fibromyalgia or mimic its symptoms:

*Cancer
*Cervical and low-back degenerative disease
*Chronic fatigue syndrome
*Depression
*HIV infection
*Hypothyroidism
*Irritable bowel syndrome
*Lyme disease
*Rheumatoid arthritis
*Sleep disorders


Treatment:

In mild cases, symptoms may go away when stress is decreased or lifestyle changes are implemented. A combination of treatments including medications, patient education, physical therapy, and counseling are usually recommended. Many fibromyalgia sufferers have found support groups helpful.

In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) approved Pregabalin (Lyrica) as the first drug for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Certain classes of antidepressant medications are sometimes prescribed for the disorder. Studies show that antidepressants in low doses can decrease depression, relax craniofacial and skeletal muscles, improve sleep quality, and release pain-killing endorphins. Other medications that are used include anti-inflammatory pain medications and medications that work on pain transmission pathways, such as Gabapentin.

Click to learn about Anti-depressant helps relieve fibromyalgia

Eating a well-balanced diet, and avoiding caffeine may help with problems sleeping, and may help reduce the severity of the symptoms. Lifestyle measures to improve the quality of sleep can be effective for fibromyalgia.

Some reports indicate that fish oil, magnesium/malic acid combinations, or vitamins may be effective. Reducing stress and improving coping skills may also help reduce painful symptoms.

Improved fitness through exercise is recommended. Studies have shown that fibromyalgia symptoms can be relieved by aerobic exercise. The best way to begin a fitness program is to start with low impact exercises, like walking and swimming.
.Fibromyalgia patient Mary Keyser had to consult 20 doctors before finding relief. Now, exercise is vital to her regimen.

.Starting slowly helps stretch and mobilize tight, sore muscles. High-impact aerobics and weight lifting could cause increased discomfort. Symptoms may be relieved by gentle stretching and light massage, as well as acupressure, acupuncture, and relaxation techniques.

Severe cases of fibromyalgia may require a referral to a pain clinic.

Click for Therapeutic Options for Fibromyalgia

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The Homeopathic Treatment of Fibromyalgia…..(1).…..(2)..…..(3)…….(4)

Prognosis:
Fibromyalgia is a common and chronic problem. The symptoms sometimes improve. At other times, the symptoms may worsen and continue for months or years. The key is seeking professional help which includes a multi-faceted approach to the management and treatment of the disease. There is no proof that fibromyalgia syndrome results in an increased death rate.

When to call your health care provider:
Call your health-care provider if symptoms of fibromyalgia develop.

Prevention:
There is no proven prevention for this disorder. However, over the years, the treatment and management of the disease has improved.It is believed that if someone maintains a healthy life style,does proper exercise regularly,eats nutritious health food and keeps oneself stress free, one can prevent oneself not only from Fibromyalgia but from several other diseases.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:
http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/fibromyalgia
http://www.pe.com/sharedcontent/health/stories/

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