Category Archives: Health Concerns

Cartilage Plus – Why, When

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Andrea and I have had great success with this cartilage supplement. It helps alleviate joint problems of many kinds.

Interestingly it also seems extremely beneficial in many so called autoimmune conditions.

Distinct formula features:

  1. Cartilage UC-II has been proven in independent studies to improve knee joint extension
  2. Our formula contains potentized Stannum (tin), a metal well known in anthroposophical medicine to support all connective tissues.

For more product info please go to True Botanica

For more general info see Kolisko Institute

Ginger Reduces Painful Periods

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According to recent data up to 90% of young women report that they are suffering from painful menstrual periods*.

For those not willing to take the conventionally prescribed medication (or not able to tolerate it) ginger seems to be an effective alternative.

The recommended dosing is 750mg-2,000mg in three daily divided doses for the first three to four days of the menstrual cycle.

The True Botanica Ginger Plus capsules have proven very beneficial in this and other inflammatory complaints. Since our capsules contain 500mg each, the effective dose can be easily reached.

There are many unique features to the TB formula that make it more desirable than the other ginger products available on the market. We have noted a more warming effect besides the pain relieving action.

To get more information please go to the Kolisko website here.

For the product website click here.

 (*Pain Med.2015Dec; 16(12):2243-55 in “Dysmenorrhea and Ginger”, FamilyPracticeNews.com, 3/15/2017)

Chronic Insomnia in Perimenopause

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I want to talk today about a problem that can be both annoying and potentially damaging: Chronic Insomnia in Perimenopause. It turns out that one can be sleepless not only in Seattle but also in those years that are the transition between full menopause and the time just before it.

I had an interesting encounter with a patient recently, a brief story that I would like to share here. This 70-year-old pleasant lady and started several months ago to have renewed hot flashes, some shortness of breath and occasional sweats. Her major problem however was a very unsatisfactory sleep experience with frequent wakings and difficult in falling back asleep again. After unsuccessfully trying other natural remedies I suggested to her Women’s Plus™ from True Botanica. She reported that within 48 hours of starting the supplements her sleep improved to the extent that she was able to have a full rest for seven hours uninterrupted. Her other symptoms also disappeared nearly completely.

This experience dovetails with the findings of a new study, referenced in the November 2015 issue of Family Practice News, which showed an alarmingly high incidence of chronic insomnia in women in their perimenopausal years. More than a third of all women in the stage of midlife transition were reported to have difficulty either falling asleep, or having nighttime wakings or early-morning wakings. This study reported that women who were heavier, older, or depressed, as well as those having night sweats, were all more likely to suffer from insomnia. Interestingly enough other factors that did not influence insomnia included marital status, tobacco or alcohol use, race/ethnicity, social economic status, and many accompanying illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Rudolf Steiner and predicted already in the early 1920s that insomnia was going to increase to epidemic proportions in the decades to come. One of the suggestions to improve this difficulty was to use various herbal ashes. The root ashes of the pueraria herb are particularly suited for the women whose difficulty we are discussing here.

The process of obtaining the ashes is similar, at the plant level, to the process that is needed in order to fall asleep: just as the fire separates the imponderables (oils, fragrance, aromas, etc) from the ponderables (the woody portions and more) in the plant, so does the soul separate itself helped by the “fire of the Ego” from the physical and the etheric body. This separation (sleep state) of course then helps the normal restorative processes that maintain health.

Ross Rentea MD

Cancer treatment with Iscador at our clinic

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We have been treating cancer patients in the clinic since 1983.

Our protocols have changed through the years- in keeping up with the advances in conventional and complementary medicine. The progress in the treatment of cancer with natural/complementary methods has been astonishing indeed.

We certainly pay attention first to a detailed history, physical exam and work- up to make sure that we are working with a correct diagnosis. We discuss a variety of means like supplements, nutrition and more complicated protocols like copper elimination, vitamin C infusions, and more.

Here I want to draw particular attention to our use of Iscador (in the US known as Iscar), a mistletoe (Viscum album) extract.

We have been impressed with the Iscador protocols even before opening the clinic. Iscador is one of the best studied adjunct therapies in cancer treatment. Dr. Ross Rentea is the only US based anthroposophical medical doctor prescribing Iscador that has also done research on this substance (at the University of Chicago).

We give detailed instructions on the use of Iscador at the appointment time. The therapy needs to be individualized carefully.

For more information please go to main cancer page  click here

Ross Rentea MD

Health Benefits of Ginger

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The Many Health Benefits of Ginger

The rhizome (root) of ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an important kitchen spice,
but did you know it also possesses a myriad of health benefits?

The rhizomes have been used since antiquity in the various traditional systems of medicine to treat:

  • arthritis, rheumatism, sprains, muscular aches, pains,
  • sore throats,
  • cramps,
  • hypertension,
  • dementia,
  • fever,
  • infectious diseases,
  • catarrh,
  • nervous diseases,
  • gingivitis, toothache,
  • asthma,
  • stroke
  • diabetes.
  • gastric ailments like constipation, dyspepsia, belching, bloating, gastritis, epigastric discomfort, gastric ulcerations, indigestion, nausea and vomiting (24) (click link below for references)

Click here for an excellent review of ginger health benefits.

Click here for additional recent literature research papers and references.

Is Broccoli Good For You?

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Benefits of Broccoli:

Broccolis, belonging to the cruciferous family of plants, have long been known to have extensive health benefits – due especially to sulfur containing compounds that can detoxify the body. These so called glucosinolates are known as chemoprotective agents since, among other functions, they reduce the presence of carcinogens in the body. Of immediate concerns are cigarette smoke, alcohol, synthetic and naturally occurring carcinogens, radiation, drugs, infectious agents and more. A less than ideal diet can provide numerous carcinogenic substances (grilled meat!, etc) on a daily basis. Studies have shown that a diet including very high levels of yellow and green vegetables especially of the cruciferous family reduce the risk of developing various organ cancers. Since getting a daily supply of the crucial vegetables is not always possible, or if more than a minimal amount is desired, having a daily supplement of the active detoxifying broccoli substances is clearly very important.  Broccoli Plus is a true nutritional supplement that can significantly enhance the quality of your daily diet.

So, yes, especially a broccoli supplement is essential for your health considering how polluted and toxic our environment is.

To find out more, benefits, mechanism of action, etc, please see the broccoli articles in the detox section.

There are several decent broccoli extract products on the market but we would recommend the True Botanica one as being the most “full spectrum” and logically designed.

Hawthorn Plus

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We want to recommend the new Hawthorn Plus™ from the True Botanica company – now in an easy to swallow capsule format.

Hawthorn benefits:

  • Supports the heart, invigorates the cardiovascular system (an often overlooked cause of fatigue)!
  • Supports a healthy liver;
  • Lessens overall anxiety.

The special features of this formula are:

  • It contains organic Hawthorn berries;
  • It contains the Hawthorn root and the native salts and ashes of the root.
    Including the native salts and ashes of the root into the final product is one of the cardinal enhancements that distinguish the True Botanica formulas. The salts and ashes of the root not only make the preparation truly “full spectrum,” but, according to an indication of Rudolf Steiner, also enhances the spiritual/energetic Sun quality of the preparation.
    Clearly, especially when we are talking about the heart, the “sunny” quality is a much desired quality.
  • More than any other preparation the formulas made from berries and seeds benefit the heart and circulation. This is emphasized by Rudolf Steiner.

Find more information on the True Botanica website www.truebotanica.com

Mental Alertness, Retention and Vitality!

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True Botanica’s Vital Mind™

– An Anthroposophic Answer –

This formula has already benefited numerous patients and True Botanica customers.

It contains:

  • Pure Wisconsin ginseng – highest world quality!
  • Salts and minerals derived from the ginseng root – to include the ashes of the root extract is a vital indication of Rudolf Steiner; it brings the sun forces into the root;
  • Special gemstone derived minerals specific to the consciousness processes;
  • A potent choline form – the substance is frequently missing from our diet.

The full concept for vitalizing your mind consists of taking this product (Vital Mind AM) in the morning while taking the accompanying formula, Vital Mind PM, in the evening (for increasing blood circulation to the nervous system and improving brain metabolism).

Aurum Cream for Heart Health

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Anthroposophic medicine uses the connection between the heart, the sun and the sun forces expressed in gold (Latin = aurum) in order to:

  • Strengthen the heart,
  • Fight heart anxiety,
  • Improve heart conditions,
  • Balance the forces of the nervous system (above the heart) and
  • Balance the forces of the metabolism (which lie below the heart).

We recommend a cream with potentized gold, such as True Botanica’s Aurum Cream, that does not contain parabens, petrolatum or other damaging additives. Among others it has proven especially beneficial in its calming effects before going to sleep.

Apply sparingly over the left side of the chest in the heart area.