Re: To Doug was poison ivy help

[Guest guest]

Marla,

As far as I know, Thuja should only be avoided if pregnant. I see no reason why it should be contraindicated in any of your blood anomalies. Here's another interesting site on Thuja:

http://www.holistic-online.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h302.htm

I would try to get the fresh leave, if I were you! I don't know where you live, but this tree can be found in many parts of the USA growing as landscaping. The fresh green herb is to be desired! I would try making a dmso tincture from it and applying it to a small portion to see if there is any immediate reaction. If not, expand. You can also make a tea of it which can be applied topically, if you don't want to go the dmso route. This may be best for first initial experiments. Note that many times with herbs, it is paramount to get just the right minimum dosage. You take under that amount and no benefits will be observed. As an example for me, I use to be bothered by urinary tract infections. I first started out drinking one glass of cranberry juice with no results. I then went to one glass in the morning and one at night and, bingo, it works. So experiment within reason.

As far as poke root or leave is concerned, don't believe 99% of what is written out there in the popular herbal press about its toxicity. It is a wonderful herb with a long history of use by the Eclectic Medical physicians. I consider it one of my most valuable herbs on my farm. Like Thuja, the fresh is always the best, ALWAYS. If I were you, I would look for some growing nearby and take the leave and make a tea out of it and apply it to your areas. You might try the root too, though it should really be harvested in the spring or fall. You can go the dmso route too. Again, due to individual differences, it is always prudent to experiment with a very small area first, to see how your body reacts. I did a webpage on the poke weed which may be seen at:

http://www.racehorseherbal.com/Wild_Herbs/Poke/poke.html

This page is veterinary oriented, but it has a long history in human medicine and equally applies.

doug

To Doug was poison ivy help

Thanks again, Doug. I really appreciate it. This is something I have not tried yet. I will definitely check these out! If you have time, can you tell me if you know of any contra-indications for these herbs? I ask because I have recovered from a very serious blood disorder and still have subnormal platelet levels. I'm specifically interested in how these herbs might affect my blood levels if at all--RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets. (I was blood transfusion dependent for a time and don't want to ever go back there again! Ack!) I still need to learn more about this DMSO also in conjunction with skin care.

Thanks again,

Marla

[Guest guest]

Hi Doug:

Wow, thanks for the links! I live in Los Angeles, California. Not sure if I can find any local wild herbs around here, but do have an herb store that specializes in wildcrafted herbs. I'll check them out as well as my husbands books on identifying plants. Who knows, there may be such an animal growing around here. Good point about finding the right dosage for effectiveness. Makes perfect sense.

Hmm. Avoid if pregnant. Yikes. I'm not pregnant, but why avoid if pregnant? That worries me because I have a suspicion that for females with aplastic anemia dong quai can cause excessive menstrual bleeding--not good for someone with abnormal platelet levels such as myself. Will definitely have to study up on this one first.

If my posts are going too far off DMSO, you are welcome to write to me at my personal email address at marlakins@... That way I won't be cluttering up the list with off topic stuff. But I really do appreciate the info that you are sharing with me.

Marla

To Doug was poison ivy help

Thanks again, Doug. I really appreciate it. This is something I have not tried yet. I will definitely check these out! If you have time, can you tell me if you know of any contra-indications for these herbs? I ask because I have recovered from a very serious blood disorder and still have subnormal platelet levels. I'm specifically interested in how these herbs might affect my blood levels if at all--RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets. (I was blood transfusion dependent for a time and don't want to ever go back there again! Ack!) I still need to learn more about this DMSO also in conjunction with skin care.

Thanks again,

Marla

[Guest guest]

Marla,

Thuja is warned in pregnancy because it is a uterine stimulant. As the website I sent you states: "Thuja has a specific reflex action on the uterus and may help in delayed menstruation, but because of this action is should be avoided in pregnancy." I doubt seriously that this action would be of importance to your platelet condition.

Mmmmmmm, you are in a semi-arid country. I remember moving irrigation pipes back when I was a youth training at a horse farm near Santa Ynes. Rats, it appears that the thuja occidentalis is only native to the Central to Northern USA. I suspect Calif is way too dry for it. You might check anyway to be sure at the local nurseries. I just bought a small tree from a K-mart store a few weeks ago. Same goes for poke weed. I don't think it grows much out west. I think it is pretty important to get fresh stuff or use fresh stuff in tincture making. I do have some and can send it to you for postage compensation only. Let me know.

doug

From: Marla

To: DimethylSulfoxide-DMSO

Sent: Sunday, June 20, 2004 10:47 PM

Subject: Re: To Doug was poison ivy help

Hi Doug:

Wow, thanks for the links! I live in Los Angeles, California. Not sure if I can find any local wild herbs around here, but do have an herb store that specializes in wildcrafted herbs. I'll check them out as well as my husbands books on identifying plants. Who knows, there may be such an animal growing around here. Good point about finding the right dosage for effectiveness. Makes perfect sense.

Hmm. Avoid if pregnant. Yikes. I'm not pregnant, but why avoid if pregnant? That worries me because I have a suspicion that for females with aplastic anemia dong quai can cause excessive menstrual bleeding--not good for someone with abnormal platelet levels such as myself. Will definitely have to study up on this one first.

If my posts are going too far off DMSO, you are welcome to write to me at my personal email address at marlakins@... That way I won't be cluttering up the list with off topic stuff. But I really do appreciate the info that you are sharing with me.

Marla

[Guest guest]

Marla,

Sure, do what ever you feel right about Thuja. Hard to say how you would specifically react to it. I know, I sure don't. I might add, that cayenne is one of the best herbal remedies for hemorrhages, whether external or internal. Most of the time either cayenne tea or tincture can stop hemorrhages in seconds. That would include gunshot wounds, etc.

doug

Re: To Doug was poison ivy help

Hi Doug:

Yes, the site mentioned that Thuja may help in "delayed menstruation." I understand that to mean that it can encourage menstruation and that's possibly why it should be avoided during pregnancy. That's the part that scares me. During my ordeal with my blood disorder, I bled uncontrollably to the point that I had to be hospitalized and given 9 units of blood plus an endometrial ablation to stop the bleeding. (That occured after months of trying to get it under control, but the bleeding kept increasing to the point I had a transfusion on a Friday, but ended up in the hospital severely anemic on Sunday. Even with the ablation, I still have a cycle). I prefer to stay away from any herbs that can potentially encourage menstrual bleeding or uterine stimulation. So really, my reference to platelets was misleading as to my real concern. Sorry about that. It's just that they were trying to pump me full of platelets at the time and it still wouldn't stop the bleeding. (And my platelet levels are still sub-normal). Evidently it was a hormonal thing or something. But I would still like to study up on this Thuja and search my inner feelings as to whether I want to chance it. I may be well enough now that it wouldn't matter, and I could also just try it topically instead of internally. Thank you for your offer to send some, but I think I'll look more into it first and check the local nurseries too. I'll let you know. I wonder, if I got some seeds for them and grew them myself here, would it be just as good?

Thanks again,

Marla