Categories
Herbs & Plants

Aralia cordata

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Botanical Name : Aralia cordata
Family: Araliaceae
Genus: Aralia
Species:A. cordata
Kingdom:Plantae
Order: Apiales

Synonyms : Aralia edulis, Aralia nutans

Common Names: Udo in Japanese, and also as Japanese spikenard or Mountain asparagus

Habitat : Aralia cordata is native to E. Asia – China, Japan, Korea. It grows in thickets and thin woods, esp. by streams and ravines, all over Japan.
Description:
Aralia cordata is a perennial herb. It is classified as a dicot and a eudicot. The leaves are alternate, large, and double to triple pinnate with leaflets 7 to 15 centimetres (2.8 to 5.9 in) long, and 5 to 10 centimetres (2.0 to 3.9 in) broad. The flowers are produced in large umbels of 30 to 45 centimetres (12 to 18 in) diameter in late summer, each flower small and white. The fruit is a small black drupe 3 millimetres (0.12 in) diameter, and may be toxic to humans.

CLICK & SEE  THE  PICTURES

In the wild, the plant achieves a height of 1.2 to 1.8 metres (3.9 to 5.9 ft). It has golden leaves in the spring and an abundance of large bright green ones in the summer. It has a hefty and plump root stock with shoots 60 to 90 centimetres (2.0 to 3.0 ft) in length. It can reach optimal growth when planted in rich soil. During the summer it produces loose flower bunches 90 centimetres (3.0 ft) in length, which are attractive to bees and flies, making it ideal for beekeepers. It can be grown using seed or propagated from cuttings.

It is in flower from Jul to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

Cultivation:
Prefers a good deep loam and a semi-shady position. Requires a sheltered position. Plants are hardier when grown in poorer soils. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.0 to 7.4. Dormant plants are hardy to about -25°c. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun. This is a commonly cultivated food crop in Japan, where it is grown for its edible shoots. There are several named varieties.
Propagation:
Seed – best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 – 5 months of cold stratification. Germination usually takes place within 1 – 4 months at 20°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Once the plants are 25cm or more tall, they can be planted out into their permanent positions, late spring or early summer being the best time to do this. Root cuttings 8cm long, December in a cold frame. Store the roots upside down in sand and pot up in March/April. High percentage. Division of suckers in late winter. Very easy, the suckers can be planted out direct into their permanent positions if required.
Edible Uses:
Young branched shoots – cooked or raw. They can be up to 1.5 metres long and have a mild and agreeable flavour. They are usually blanched and are crisp and tender with a unique lemon-like flavour. They can be sliced and added to salads, soups etc. The shoots contain about 1.1% protein, 0.42% fat, 0.8% soluble carbohydrate, 0.55% ash. Root – cooked. Used like scorzonera.

Composition :
Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
Shoots (Fresh weight)

•0 Calories per 100g
•Water : 0%
•Protein: 1.1g; Fat: 0.42g; Carbohydrate: 0.8g; Fibre: 0g; Ash: 0.55g;
•Minerals – Calcium: 0mg; Phosphorus: 0mg; Iron: 0mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg;
•Vitamins – A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;
Medicinal Uses:
Analgesic; Antiinflammatory; Carminative; Diuretic; Febrifuge; Stimulant; Stomachic; Tonic.

The root is sometimes used in China as a substitute for ginseng (Panax species). It is said to be analgesic, antiinflammatory, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. The root contains an essential oil, saponins, sesquiterpenes and diterpene acids. It is used in Korea to treat the common cold and migraines.

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/Aralia_cordata
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Aralia+cordata

Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Supplement Recommendations For Epilepsy

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Throughout history, people prone to seizures were thought to be possessed by demons, to have special powers, or to be mentally ill. Today, we know none of this is true: Epilepsy is a condition that diminishes neither intellectual capacity, creativity, nor productivity.

Epileptic seizures

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder which causes seizures.

An epileptic seizure is caused by over-activity of the brain cells, which produces a surge of electricity.

This may be due to a variety of factors, such as brain damage from birth injuries, head injury, stroke, brain tumours and alcoholism.

There is some evidence to suggest the condition sometimes has a genetic basis – although it is rare for it to run in families.

In many instances, the cause of the condition is a mystery.

Epilepsy is caused by surges of electrical activity

Symptoms
Short periods of blackouts, confusion, or altered memory.
Repetitive blinking, chewing, or lip smacking, with or without a lack of awareness.
Lack of attention: a blank stare, no response when spoken to.
Loss of consciousness, sometimes with a loud cry, jerking muscles, or loss of bladder or bowel control; often followed by extreme fatigue.

When to Call Your Doctor
If you experience any of the above symptoms.
If you have a seizure for the first time. However, for later seizures, only falls causing an injury or one episode followed closely by another need a doctor’s immediate attention.
Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

What It Is
Technically not a disease, epilepsy is a disorder that results from excessive electrical activity in the brain and nervous system. Normally, brain cells transmit electrical impulses in a highly regulated manner. People with epilepsy, however, experience periods when many brain cells fire all at once. This uncontrolled discharge produces symptoms that can range from a blank stare to a loss of consciousness with convulsions. These episodes are called seizures (epilepsy is also known as seizure disorder). Having a single seizure is not necessarily a sign of epilepsy, which is actually defined as having recurrent seizures. In fact, only 27% of people who have a seizure will have another within three years.

What Causes It
In more than half of epilepsy cases, the cause of the disorder is unknown. In the remaining cases, seizures can sometimes be traced to a previous head injury, stroke, brain tumor, or brain infection. Experts think that anyone is susceptible to seizures, but for some reason, certain individuals are particularly vulnerable. Heredity seems to play some role.

How Supplements Can Help
Under no circumstances should individuals using anticonvulsant drugs for epilepsy stop taking them or reduce the dosage on their own. The supplements in the chart are not a substitute for prescription drugs. Instead, they may help correct nutritional deficiencies that can contribute to seizures or aid in controlling seizures in people who continue to have them despite medication. Supplements may eventually allow a physician to reduce the dosage of anticonvulsant drugs, which often have unpleasant side effects.

What Else You Can Do
Get plenty of sleep. Fatigue can predispose you to seizures.
Avoid alcohol. It can interfere with anticonvulsant medications and possibly contribute to seizures.
Don’t try to restrain a person having a seizure or insert a gag or anything else into his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue. This could cause serious injury to the person or to you if he bites your fingers. Instead, cushion the person’s fall and clear away any sharp or hard objects. When the seizure is over, turn him on his side to prevent possible choking.
Preliminary research suggests that vitamin E can help people with epilepsy. One theory on seizures suggests they’re triggered by damage to the fatty membranes that surround nerve cells. With its antioxidant properties, vitamin E can inhibit the chemical changes in the body that lead to this damage. Although more study is needed, people with epilepsy can safely take 400 IU of vitamin E a day, either in a multivitamin or as a separate supplement.

Supplement Recommendations
Vitamin B Complex
Calcium/Magnesium
GABA
Kava
Manganese
Taurine

Vitamin B Complex
Dosage: 1 pill each morning with food.
Comments: Look for a B-50 complex with 50 mcg vitamin B12 and biotin; 400 mcg folic acid; and 50 mg all other B vitamins.

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Calcium/Magnesium
Dosage: 250 mg each twice a day with food.
Comments: Sometimes sold in a single supplement.

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GABA

Dosage: 500 mg twice a day.
Comments: Often combined with inositol; has tranquilizing effect.

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Kava
Dosage: 250 mg twice a day.
Comments: Standardized to contain at least 30% kavalactones.

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Manganese

Dosage: 20 mg a day.
Comments: Take with meals.

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Taurine

Dosage: 500 mg L-taurine 3 times a day on an empty stomach.
Comments: If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.

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Click to see also:->Epilepsy published in BBC NEWS

Many ‘believe myths’ on epilepsy

Epilepsy took away my childhood

Epilepsy genes ‘may cut seizures

Within days she seemed calmer

Source:Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs (Reader’s Digest)

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.

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