I attended the lecture for my capstone class last night and I have a LOT of work left to do.  I have to turn the paper in again next week so I'm going to try to get that final exam done today.  My book entry is sitting at 29 pages so I'm only going to put in three more in research articles.  That is still a lot but a much smaller number than nine!

I did run through the rest of the quizzes yesterday and it looks like I have a good handle on those.  I just need to make sure I know a few other things for the essay questions.  My grade can't drop much more or I will have problems. 

Hubby is home which made the lecture more difficult.  The children were so happy they were playing quite loudly and wanted to include mommy in their antics.  I was trying to ask my professor some questions and they were screaming in my ear...  Fun times!  But I got the answers I needed and they can get daddy-cuddles for a few days.  He's going to try to fix the truck today.  It will be nice to go to the store and select my own produce rather than relying on a stranger to select it and deliver it.  On the bright side, I haven't had to chase my kids around the store so it hasn't been all bad!

Breakfast is done and I still need to get the laundry taken care of before I can study and see if I'm ready for this test.  Love and Light!

I continue to grow spiritually and the days are getting better as well as more stressful as the test approaches.  My husband is heading home now.  He dropped a load of food in New Orleans and will be here this afternoon. The children have had their breakfast and I watched an AMAZING video on health this morning. 

It turns out that live food exclusively is not a good health move but there should be a healthy ratio.  Like, I never knew tomatoes needed to be cooked to be antioxidant.  A lot of foods need to be cooked to produce the things we need.  We are often told that cooking destroys the minerals.  This is true in some cases and really true if you nuke it.  We got rid of our microwave for that reason.  Also, hybrid foods are really a problem and are the cause of the gluten problems we have.  I'll share the link below for anyone interested in this.

The studying seems to be going well.  I got a 72% on that last coaching practical. I'm just not meant to have structured conversations.  That's okay.  That feels forced and a conversation should never feel forced. You can't help anyone in that environment. I still have a B so far in the class, only 2 assignments (to be graded) and the final left so i think I'll survive if these quizes I'm reviewing are any indication on what I've learned.

The children both woke at the same time. I woke at 2:30 last night and refused to get out of bed.  Looking back, I should have so I could have gotten some studying done in quiet. I need to start accepting that my body wants me awake at o-dark-hundred for a reason. I'll work on that. 

Spiritually, I'm making progress.  I still feel like it's going too slow but I'll get there.  I'm still trying to figure out the Vlog thing. I need a place where I can do recordings. Once I figure that out, we'll be golden. The lighting is terrible here and the children always have a mess on the floor behind me.   I'll work it out at some point. Time to go get breakfast cooking and get the little ones fed. Love and Light!

Technical difficulties today...  I got through the first module yesterday of Health and Wellness and got some updates done to my book entry. Progress is being made, but it seems very slow.  It always done when there is a test or important deadline looming. I have my friend's daughter overnight from yesterday.  She will be here all day so I'm really worried I won't get anything done on studying because volume is very much an issue.  I will do what I can.  Love and Light!

On to the constituents of Oregon Grape

aporphine-type alkaloids are found in very few medicinal plants(Ganora, 2009, p. 71, 159, 160).

palmatine is antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, antispasmodic (for the urinary tract and prostate) and is similar to berberine (Ganora, 2009, p. 71, 160).

Constituents: berbermine, Columbamine, oxycanthine, pxyacanthine, oxyberberine, aromoline, baluchistine, aquifoline

Have a Great Day!

I started this post yesterday and apologize I have not written in a few days. 

Update on school:  I have everything that is due for Health and Wellness done for the rest of the semester except the final exam.  I'm now in study mode for that.  For Toxicology, I have one quiz left and the final exam.  For Capstone, I have the book entry, the literature review and the power point presentation all left to do.  I have it set that I can focus on this final, then focus on the capstone work then focus on toxicology. I may go ahead and get that last quiz done so I just have the final left. The teachers are already grading the things I submitted in advance of the due date. I'm not complaining.  It probably helps them so they don't have as much to do.  I know a few of my classmates are probably behind, one person had an emergency and had to pause for a bit so I'm sure they appreciate me getting ahead in those areas.

At this point, I will look tomorrow to see if I can find more constituents in Ganora and I will be done with herbs for a short time.  I may go ahead and post the discussions that have already been graded so there is some herbal content. For now, I am going to get this posted and get the children some lunch.  They are quite hungry!

On to Oregon Grape!

berberine is amoebicidal, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, antitumor, cytotoxic, and hepatoprotective. It can also be a bitter, cholagogue, antiarrhythmic, and inhibits tyramine and elastase. This is also moderately toxic with potential to cause heart damage, dyspnea, and hypotension (Hoffman, 2003, p. 125-6). antibacterial and antifungal (Petersen, 2018, p. 184-5). This is water-soluble because the nitrogen particle has a positive charge. Ganora also mentions berberine is more potent against MRSA in an isolated form rather than with the other constituents of the plant when synergised with 5'-MHC-D and pheophorbide. In this way, the berberine prevented the MRSA from pumping the toxin out of its system is the cells were destroyed. She goes on to say this constituent is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, astringent, cardiotonic, antidiabetic, antimalarial, anticarcinogenic, eyewash, antiseptic, wound dressing, bitter tonic, cholagogues, choleretics, antiprotozoal, and antispasmodic for prostate and urinary tract issues. It also reduced triglycerides, LDL (and total) cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin, and serum glucose (Ganora, 2009, p. 21, 47, 55, 58, 71, 160).

hydrastine is hemostatic, antiseptic, emetic, expectorant, antiamoebic, and can treat uterine hemorrhage. Ganora says astringent, antiseptic, and a mucous membrane tonic but only for goldenseal. On page 160, Ganora says this constituent is unique to goldenseal only. This is mainly extracted with hydroethanolic extracts (Hoffman, 2003, p. 126-7; Ganora, 2009, p. 71, 160).

Constituents: berbermine, Columbamine, oxycanthine, pxyacanthine, palmatine, oxyberberine, aromoline, baluchistine, aquifoline, and aporphine-type alkaloids

Have a Great Day!

Well, yesterday was very productive but I'm waiting to see if I have to redo my interview for Health and Wellness.  Apparently I'm not the only one confused.  I got the essay that was due for Toxicology turned in and he even graded it already!  I got a 100.  I also got all the comments done on the rest of the discussion threads.  This means for this module, I have remaining the outline for my capstone presentation and the quiz for toxicology.  I think I want to try to get the first week of module 7 done as well but that may be a stretch. That is the last module for each class.  I may be able to get that done for 2 classes but not capstone which would still be okay with the time I have. I keep changing my plan of attack, I know. Just trying to figure out what will work best. 

The children seem to be having a good day so far. My daughter got in so much trouble yesterday and she got some really good sleep last night. She needed it but I couldn't get her to take a nap yesterday. It's all good.  We got through it!

On to Oregon Grape!

antimalarial means it's good against malaria.

antipsoriatic is good against psoriasis.

recuse psoriasis: See antipsoriatic.

Constituents: Alkaloids of isoquinoline (berberine, berbermine, hydrastine, oxycanthine) (Hoffman, 2003, p. 564). Petersen (2018) adds the alkaloid jatrorrhizine – it and berberine are antibacterial and antifungal. Jatrorrhizine and magnoflorine are antioxidants (p. 184-5). Mills & Bone (2010) state flavonoids (magnoflorine, berberine, jatrorrhizine, columbamine, pxyacanthine, oxyberberine, berbamine, aromoline, baluchistine, and aquifoline); palmatine may be included in this list. It doesn’t have as much berberine as barberry or goldenseal (p. 520). Chevallier (2016) says isoquinoline alkaloids (berberine, berbamine, and hydrastine); and aporphine-type alkaloids (p. 177).

Have a Great Day!

Interestingly, the prompt for this week's discussion in toxicology applied to an herb on my list that I had already gotten started.  As a result, I'll be discussing Oregon grape!  I have not posted it on the site yet because I'm not quite done with it even though I did post the discussion.  I'm not going to do a lab due to time (I'll get one done later) but I have a few research articles I want to read to add to the prompt so I'll add those to the herbarium as well then post it.

We have breakfast done and the kids are playing. Happy noises are coming from their room.  It's good to be a mom! When they're happy...   Love and Light!

On to Oregon Grape!

Constituents: Alkaloids of isoquinoline (berberine, berbermine, hydrastine, oxycanthine) (Hoffman, 2003, p. 564). Petersen (2018) adds the alkaloid jatrorrhizine – it and berberine are antibacterial and antifungal. Jatrorrhizine and magnoflorine are antioxidants (p. 184-5). Mills & Bone (2010) state flavonoids (magnoflorine, berberine, jatrorrhizine, columbamine, pxyacanthine, oxyberberine, berbamine, aromoline, baluchistine, and aquifoline); palmatine may be included in this list. It doesn’t have as much berberine as barberry or goldenseal (p. 520). Chevallier (2016) says isoquinoline alkaloids (berberine, berbamine, and hydrastine); and aporphine-type alkaloids (p. 177).

Therapeutic Actions: Alterative, cholagogue, laxative, antiemetic, anticatarrhal, tonic (Hoffman, 2003, p. 564). Petersen (2018) adds febrifuge, sedative, hypotensive, bitter, and antimalarial (p. 183). Mills & Bone say antipsoriatic, anti-inflammatory, depurative, mild cholagogue, and antimicrobial (p. 520). Griffin (1997) only mention this herb under the heading cholagogues (p. 8). Chevallier (2016) says antibacterial and recuse psoriasis (p. 177).

Indications: Chronic/scaly skin conditions – psoriasis, eczema – cleanses the liver and gallbladder which eliminates the toxins that cause the skin condition.  Also helps with nausea and vomiting. Chronic constipation Ellingwood says: pimples, roughness, eczema capitis, eczema genitalis, pruritis, scaly eczema, psoriasis, chronic dermatosis, glandular indurations, ulcerations and syphilis (Hoffman, 2003, p. 564). Petersen (2018) adds it stimulates the appetite (p. 185). Mills & Bone (2010) say skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and gastritis and cholecystitis (p. 520). Chevallier (2016) says historically it has been used for loss of appetite and debility as a decoction or tincture. It was used by Native Americans and during the Physiomedicalist movement as a detoxifier and tonic. Currently it’s used to treat gastritis and digestive weakness, in addition to gut congestion, eczema, psoriasis, acne, boils, herpes, and skin issues caused by problems with the gall bladder (p. 177).

Safety: No side effects or interactions noted (Hoffman, 2003, p. 564). Petersen (2018) adds berberine may cause kernicterus – do not use while pregnant/breastfeeding. The extract cream may cause itching, burning, skin irritation, and allergic reactions. May inhibit metabolization of drugs. Use with caution with drugs for seizure, hypertension, blood clotting, and blood sugar (p. 186). Mills & Bone (2010) state the berbine has a serious potential risk to babies in the womb giving it a category C for use in pregnancy.  There is some implication this may cause jaundice (p. 520). On the same page, they also state not to use it with drugs that displace bilirubin such as phenylbutazone.

Have a Great Day!

I got one paper reviewed yesterday, need to do one more today.

On to Astragalus!

astragalosides I-VII: Hoffman (2003) talks about about number III on page 82.

aglycones are non-sugar molecules (Hoffman, 2003, p. 41, 48).

High-molecular-weight polysaccharides (Hoffman, 2003, p. 41, 44, 153).

Have a Great Day!

My schedule is doing crazy things today.  My son took a nap this morning rather than this afternoon. I have already done a load of laundry and the last of it is in the dryer.  To make the herbal list page easier to use, I ended the scrolling and just added my documents that I use as backup instead. It means you have to open the document to read the content but it's faster for me to update the site. Once I graduate, I'll learn this platform more and see if I can figure out how to make the site work the way I want it to.  I know HTML but I have never created a blog before nor do I know how to do the VLOG (yes, one is coming on my diet but it will be a paid subscription) in HTML. 

Today, I will work on reviewing the papers of my classmates.  I have to do a minimum of two and I'd like to have that done today so I can focus on toxicology.  I still have to do one more comment in Health and Wellness but only one classmate has posted.  That is the second week of the module so I may have to wait on that.  I also still have to create an outline for my presentation of my capstone project.  That should be fun...  Love and Light!

On to astragalus!

cardiotonic: Hoffman describes this as herbs that help the heart and blood vessels but contain on cardiac glycosides (Hoffman, 2003, p. 169).

Constituents: Triterpenoid saponin glycosides (astragalosides I-VII), flavonoid glycosides and aglycones, high-molecular-weight polysaccharides (Hoffman, 2003, p. 532). Chevallier (2016) says triterpene saponins (astragalosides), isoflavonoids (formonentin), polysaccharides, and phytosterols (p. 68). Mills &Bone (2010) state triterpenoid saponins (astragalosides), polysaccharides and flavonoids.  The content varies based on age of the root as well as origin (p. 249).

Have a Great Day!

I'm running behind today so I'm keeping my comments short.  I just did my final coaching session for Health and Wellness.  It took a bit to get it to work but we finally got it going. I also went over time so we'll see what he says on that. I have to pick up my friend's daughter from the bus stop here in a bit.  I leave you with an herb I'm sure most have never heard of before.  Enjoy! Love and Light!

On to astragalus!

Constituents: Triterpenoid saponin glycosides (astragalosides I-VII), flavonoid glycosides and aglycones, high-molecular-weight polysaccharides (Hoffman, 2003, p. 532). Chevallier (2016) says triterpene saponins (astragalosides), isoflavonoids (formonentin), polysaccharides, and phytosterols (p. 68). Mills &Bone (2010) state triterpenoid saponins (astragalosides), polysaccharides and flavonoids.  The content varies based on age of the root as well as origin (p. 249).

Therapeutic Actions: Immunomodulator (Hoffman, 2003, p 532). Chevallier (2016) says adaptogenic, immune stimulant, diuretic, vasodilator (brings the blood to the surface), antiviral (p. 68). Mills & Bone (2010) state immune enhancing, tonic, adaptogenic, cardiotonic, diuretic, hypotensive, and antioxidant (p. 249).

Indications: reduces toxicity in some drugs. Helps stimulate red blood cell formation in bone marrow, strengthens the immune system (Hoffman, 2003, p. 532).  Heinerman (1996) says physical exhaustion and immune system boosting prior to getting sick (3 capsules a day or 1c of tea per day) (p. 39). On page 40 he added the tea, when added with other treatments, has been shown to shrink some cancer cells by increasing T-cell production. Chevallier (2016) says lowers blood pressure and increases endurance as well as stabilizing kidney function. It also helps with immune function in cancer patients. It can treat excessive sweating and night sweats.  It also helps with fluid retention and protect against kidney damage. It helps boost the immune system against the common cold but do not use in acute illness. It also treats prolapse organs, uterine bleeding, and anemia (p. 68).  Griffin (1997) says over time it helps with prolapsed organs, it increases vitality and strengthens the immune system (p. 140). On page 219, she states the ground or powdered versions have little to no effect and this needs to be “cooked” for at least an hour for maximum effect. Mills & Bone (2010) state leukopenia, ischaemic heart disease and angina pectoris, prophylaxis of the common cold, fatigue, diarrhea, prolapse of the uterus and rectum, abdominal uterine bleeding, and spontaneous sweating (p. 249).

Safety: potentiates interleukin 2 and acyclovir, may be incompatible with immunosuppressant drugs (Hoffman, 2003, p. 532). Chevallier (2016) says not to take this if skin issues are present or during acute illness (p. 68).  Mills & Bone (2010) state there is a potential for contraindication with cyclophosphamide (an immunosuppressive agent) though it a low risk (p. 55). On page 249, Mills & Bone (2010) continue there is no data for use during lactation and pregnancy is listed as B1 which means there is no evidence of harmful effects. As previously stated, do not use with acute conditions.

Have a Great Day!