Dosages

Dosages

Jo Francks MH

When using herbal supplements for treating physical ailments, it is important to understand how to use the herbs, how much to take and how often. Most times taking one dose of any herb won’t do much, but taking it over time will effect a change in one’s health. 

            Acute ailments are illnesses that come on quickly with mild to severe symptoms and last a few days to a few weeks and can become chronic if not treated promptly and thoroughly. Symptoms of acute ailments often include a fever, cough, runny nose, diarrhea or vomiting. Examples of acute illnesses are colds, flu, UTIs, and the current COVID 19 virus. When treating an acute illness with herbs it is important to know the action of the herb used and whether it is wise to use it in frequent doses. Herbs that strengthen the immune system are often used in frequent doses for colds, flu and virus or bacterial infections. These could include echinacea, elderberries, garlic, goldenseal, astragalus, etc. They can be used as a tea, extract, capsules or powder. Taking the herbs in adequate doses every hour has proven to be effective in acute situations rather than only taking the herbs 2 or 3 times a day. When symptoms ease up a bit then the dosage can be adjusted accordingly. Acute ailments are aggressive and need to be treated just as aggressively with herbal protocols.

            Chronic conditions are treated differently because these are conditions that have been in the body awhile and it takes longer to move them out. These are usually associated with a toxic condition of the body that will take patience and perseverance to overcome.  It requires dietary changes and using herbs and other treatments for longer periods of time. The dosage for herbs used in chronic conditions is up to 3 times a day depending on the action of the herbs taken. For example, you wouldn’t want to use Dr. Christopher’s Lower Bowel formula every hour. That formula needs to be adjusted to individual needs and is recommended to be taken three times a day, over time, to eventually heal the bowels to help them work on their own. Examples of chronic conditions could include heart disease, constipation, asthma, skin disorders, diabetes, etc. Herb categories used in chronic conditions include nutritive herbs, adaptogens, tonic herbs, blood purifiers, herbal laxatives, etc. 

            The amount of herbs to take depends on the size and age of the individual. Adult dosages are for a person weighing 150 pounds give or take 20-30 pounds. Children 12 years and up are usually given an adult dose. This depends on their weight. Recommended dosages on purchased products are intended for adults and examples are 1 teaspoon loose herbal tea or one teabag per cup of water, 2 or 3 capsules, 15 to 30 drops of a tincture, or ½ to 1 teaspoon of an herbal syrup. Children ages 8 to 12 get half the dose. Ages 4 to 8 get 1/4 dose. Under 4 years of age get even smaller doses. Start with 1 drop of extract and go from there. 

            This newsletter is intended to help clarify how much and how often herbs are to be used in different situations. These recommendations may not fit every situation and adjustments need to be made according to each individual and each situation. 

Time with Kids

Time with Kids

Jo Francks MH

When I was a kid my mom would make these yummy candies out of peanut butter, honey, and powdered milk. I thought they tasted like the inside of a peanut butter cup. Occasionally I still make those tasty treats but I have since substituted the powdered milk with different options like powdered herbs or oat flour. The peanut butter is now substituted with homemade almond butter.

As I was thinking about different activities that would be fun and helpful to do with children these candies came to mind along with the different herbs that might be beneficial to include for them at this time. 

The first herbs that came to mind were astragalus and marshmallow; herbs that strengthen the immune system without overstimulating it and they don’t have a strong overpowering flavor. I haven’t made this yet but here’s my plan. 

Blend up some rolled oats in the blender to flour consistency, mix about 2 tablespoons each of the oat flour, the marshmallow root powder and the astragalus root powder. 

In a separate bowl combine ½ cup almond butter or peanut butter and ⅓ cup raw honey. Now start adding the herb and oat powder mixture starting with ¼ cup and adding more if needed until it can be rolled into balls or other shapes.

Optional ingredients to add if you like are cocoa powder, carob powder, slippery elm powder, dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon, powdered elderberries, rose hips, or hawthorn berries.

Powdered herbs can also be mixed into honey to make little medicine balls. The same herbs can be used or other combinations can be used like mullein, slippery elm and chickweed. These herbs would be a good combination to use for respiratory issues as an expectorant. Elderberries or echinacea powder could be used to boost the immune system. I have a child who liked to make the sore throat remedy with garlic honey and cayenne as a snack:)

Tea parties are a great way to spend time with children. Peppermint tea combined with elderflowers is an old classic used for fevers. The herbs act as a diaphoretic to make you sweat. Raspberry leaves are great for any tea party a few thyme leaves could be added if you or your child has a cough. I would use chamomile if someone needed to calm down.

When I asked my daughter what she has learned to do when she has a fever she said: “Take a hot bath with hot tea.” She learned well. We would use a combination of diaphoretic herbs for the tea which could include any of the following herbs; peppermint, yarrow, raspberry leaves, calendula flowers, sage leaves or elderflowers. When they were done with the bath they would shower off with cold water real quick and go to bed and sweat a little more. 

If you find you have a little time to spend with kids you may want to try out some of these suggestions.

Nut Butter Candy

½ cup nut butter

⅓ cup honey

Powdered oat flour or powdered herbs

Combine the nut butter and honey and add enough of the powdered ingredients to make a dough. Roll into balls or other fun shapes.

Optional ingredients to add if you like are cocoa powder, carob powder, slippery elm powder, dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon, powdered elderberries, rose hips, or hawthorn berries.

Rubus

Rubus, 2020 Herb of the Year 

Jo Francks MH

The International Herb Association has chosen the genus of Rubus as the 2020 herb of the year. This is a very valuable selection. The Rubus genus includes one of the best medicinal herbs that Dr. Christopher used and recommended as an herbalist. Red Raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus) is on the School of Natural Healings 100 herb list and is highly regarded as an herb to help many ailments. There are 9 pages dedicated to raspberry in Dr. Christopher’s Herb Syllabus book. I think it was one of his favorites.

Red Raspberry leaves are in the classification of astringents which tone and tighten up loose unhealthy tissue and help in conditions of excessive discharge. Some conditions that are benefited by astringent herbs are diarrhea, runny nose, spongy gums, canker sores, sore throat and burns.

One of the most common uses of Red Raspberry leaves is to use the tea during pregnancy to help with nausea, to strengthen the female organs involved in pregnancy and delivery, and to assist in a healthy delivery. The leaves are high in iron and many other beneficial nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy and to help the fetus grow properly. 

Dr. Christopher recommended using Red Raspberry leaf tea in cases of stomach flu, colds, sore throat, cold sores, canker sores, thrush, diarrhea and many other acute conditions because of its ability to enhance immune function. He suggested using the tea at early stages of illness to avoid having to use the Anti-Plague formula which he admitted tastes nasty. 

There are other herbs in the Rubus family including Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) which has many of the same medicinal qualities as Red Raspberry, and Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) which has been used to treat stomach disorders, dysentery and diarrhea.

The berries of all these plants are delicious and very nutritious. They are high in vitamin C and abundant in antioxidants.

Raspberries are not hard to grow. They like rich soil and need to be watered frequently. Once established they will propagate from the roots and stick around for a long time. Try to pick some leaves just before they flower and early in the season before the grasshoppers start eating them, but if you don’t get them then, pick them when needed.  Harvest as many leaves as you can at the end of summer and dry them. 

This year we honor the wonderful medicinal qualities of the Rubus family and are grateful for the fruit it offers.

Recipe

Raspberry Breakfast Bowl

1 cup low heated grain of choice (wheat, oat groats, barley, etc.)

1 cup fresh raspberries

2 TBSP Maple syrup

2 pitted Medjool dates

Water or Almond milk

In a blender or food processor put ½ cup of your grain, ½ cup berries, dates and maple syrup. Add enough water or almond milk to process and blend until smooth.

In a bowl put the unblended grain and add the blended ingredients. Top with the rest of the berries and add more maple syrup if desired.

Recipe by Jo Francks

The Mild Food Diet

The Mild Food Diet or Mucusless Diet Explained

As explained by Dr. John R. Christopher, the Mucusless Diet includes eating the following.

• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables or low heated vegetables
• Whole grains soaked and low heated or sprouted
• Nuts soaked for better digestion
• Seeds soaked or sprouted

The combination of these foods are endless and can be limited only to your imagination. Foods are to be consumed in their raw state in order to preserve the enzymes which are vital to digestion and better health. 

Low heating is done under 130 degrees Fahrenheit or less. 

Soaking grains, nuts and seeds activates their enzymes making them more digestible and makes them more nutritious by releasing an abundance of vitamins and minerals

A day in the life of the Mucusless Diet

• First thing in the morning drink a glass of distilled water. To this you can add fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and honey, or drink plain.
• Take your supplements which could include cayenne, lower bowel and/or extended herbal cleanse formulas, black strap molasses, kelp etc. 
• Mid morning is the time you would want to drink a glass of freshly made carrot juice.
• Other options for this time of day are smoothies, low heated grains and fresh fruit.
• Noon is the time to have your first meal which includes a nice big salad of greens, nuts or seeds and other vegetables and fruit
• Mid-afternoon have a snack of fruit or veggies, fresh juice or smoothie.
• Continue with herbal supplements appropriate to your cleansing and supportive health goals.
• The evening meal includes many possibilities - low heated grains or vegetables, baked potato or winter squash, salad, etc.

To the best of your ability consume foods that are in season and are grown organically.

Menu plans will follow in a post soon.

Please comment for any questions you have. 

Happy New Year

Let's Make 2020 the best year ever!

New Years Challenge

Start the new year by doing a 3 day cleanse to help you reboot your system for a new decade.

Dr. Christopher's famous 3 day cleanse is a great way to help get rid of cravings, cleanse the colon, feel like a new person, and reboot your system. 

Some benefits of the 3 day cleanse are to 

1. Help with brain fog 
2. Help with digestive disturbances 
3. Help improve energy levels 
4. Improve emotional well being
5. Feel fantastic
6. Eliminate cravings for improper foods

If you have made it through the holidays and have been eating a perfect diet then you may disregard this post. If not then keep reading. 

Let's start the challenge by doing a 3 day cleanse. What it is is a 3 day juice fast.

First: pick a juice that you will be consuming for the 3 days. This can be apple, grape, carrot, or citrus.

Second: Choose 3 consecutive days to consume up to a gallon of juice each day.

Third: Follow the guidelines for the 3 days.

Fourth: Make sure you are close to bathroom facilities for the 3 days. 

This is a serious commitment and is an intense cleanse for your body. It's like changing the oil in your car or spring cleaning your house. You are cleaning out the debris in you colon to allow the rest of your body to cleanse. 

The 3 day cleanse:

• First thing in the morning you will consume 16 ounces of prune juice. This is only consumed in the morning once each morning for the 3 days.
• 1/2 hour later you will drink 8 ounces of your chosen juice.
• The next 1/2 hour you will drink 8 ounces of distilled water.
• 3 times throughout the day you will need to take 1 tablespoon of olive oil. This helps lubricate the bile ducts so the bile can flow freely.
• Continue alternating your juice of choice and water each 1/2 hour.
• Swish each mouthful of juice as if you are chewing it to mix with saliva for better digestion and prevent a blood sugar crash.
• Finish your juice and water consumption at 8:00 PM

You will follow this plan for the next 2 days.

The 4th and 5th day is optional to drink only water if desired. 

After the cleanse you will want to transition into the Mucusless diet which I also call the Mild Food diet. 

An explanation of the diet will be given in the next post.

Any questions are welcome.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe Viscum album

Jo Francks MH

Mistletoe is a plant which grows out of the branches of trees making it a parasitic plant relying on the host tree for its nutrition. In the winter when the tree itself is dormant the mistletoe is a flourishing green. Because it was able to blossom in the frigid winter it became a symbol of fertility in the early centuries.

Mistletoe grows on many trees, especially apple trees, but rarely on oak trees. So the legend goes that the druids revered the oak trees that mistletoe was growing on and considered it a gift from the Divine.

In the Scandinavian legend, Balder, the god of Peace, was slain with an arrow made of Mistletoe. He was restored to life at the request of the other gods and goddesses, and Mistletoe was afterwards given into the keeping of the goddess of Love, and it was ordained that everyone who passed under it should receive a kiss, to show that the branch had become an emblem of love and not of hate.

We keep the tradition going this time of year by using Mistletoe in Christmas decorations. Anyone standing under the Mistletoe receives a kiss. 

Medicinally Mistletoe has been called a cure all by some herbalists. It is currently revered as a powerful nervine and antispasmodic being used for epilepsy and convulsive disorders.

Dr. Christopher taught that Mistletoe is highly valued for its nervine and antispasmodic properties, used anytime there is weakness or disorders of the nervous system. It will quiet, soothe and tone the nerves. It is also useful in female weakness and will incite uterine contractions. It tones the heart and is preferable to the powerful whipping action of digitalis or bromides in cardiac affection. 

The leaves are the best part of the plant to use. There is some indication that the berries are poisonous but so far this is inconclusive. Also it may be advised to not use Mistletoe if there is a condition of hypertension or high blood pressure. Since it is known to contract the uterus it is not advised to be used during pregnancy.

Viscum album is the European Mistletoe. The American variety is Phoradendron flavescens and has similar properties. Most information is for the European variety.

Mistletoe combines well with other nervine herbs and is one of the herbs in Dr. Christopher’s Relax-Eze combination. It’s a nice herb to use this time of year when there seems to be a lot of stress during the holidays.  

Castor Oil Fomentations

Castor Oil Fomentations

Jo Francks MH

Castor oil has been used for centuries as an aid for healing. The most widely used application of castor oil is to use it as a fomentation. Dr. Christopher taught that a castor oil fomentation is used to get rid of hardened mucus in the body, which may appear as cysts, tumors or polyps. He said that a castor oil fomentation over the liver area will open the constipated capillaries within the liver. The fomentation will draw out poisons and flush them out of the liver. A castor oil fomentation can also be used over any part of the body experiencing congestion, pain or stagnation. It can be used over the abdomen for constipation or menstrual cramps, uterine and ovarian cysts and endometriosis. It can be applied to sore or arthritic joints and sore muscles.

Please note that Dr. Christopher never recommended that castor oil be taken internally.

Before doing a castor oil fomentation prepare the area you will be laying on by placing some plastic sheeting or some towels to catch any oil that might drip. Castor oil cannot be washed out of any clothing or bedding. A castor oil fomentation is done by placing a natural wool or cotton flannel cloth folded into 3 layers saturated with castor oil but not dripping over the liver and/or abdominal areas. Cover the cloth with a piece of plastic, then a source of heat which can be a heating pad turned to a comfortably warm temperature or a hot water bottle filled with very warm water. Cover with a towel and secure all this if needed with a towel wrapped around the torso and secured with safety pins. This will be left on for at least an hour and can be left for up to 8 hours but usually an hour or two is the proper length of time. If a water bottle is your source of heat it will need to be refilled with very warm water several times to maintain the warm temperature. Another option is to alternate hot and cold while the fomentation is in place. The point is for the skin to absorb the castor oil. Dr. Christopher recommends in The School of Natural Healing book to do the fomentation for 3 days and the following 3 days massage the same area with olive oil in a circular motion towards the heart and rest on the seventh day. The program can be repeated each week for al long as necessary. If the skin becomes sensitive to the oil cut back on days and time to what your body can handle. The castor oil goes through the skin into the liver area and lymph glands and starts drawing out the poisons and flushing them out, while the olive oil goes in and helps heal and rebuild new tissue. The saturated oil cloth can be reused many times. When not in use, store it in a heavy duty resealable plastic bag or a glass jar.

Castor oil has many other benefits and is something worth having on hand when needed.