About Linda Smith

Linda Smith, RN, MS, HN-BC, CHTP, CCA is a Masters Degree Nurse, Board Certified Holistic Nurse and certified in Healing Touch and in Clinical Aromatherapy. She has a private healing practice, Transformational Wellness Services, and teaches both energy healing and aromatherapy around the world. She helps clients to discover what is not working in their life physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually and helps them to find the balance needed to restore health in all its forms, the power of energy healing and essential oils. Linda is the author of many books, including Hildegard de Bingen-Holistic Approach to Wellness.

About the book

Hildegard of Bingen lived a thousand years ago but was only recently named a Catholic saint and doctor of the church. She is probably one of the first writers to speak about living a balanced holistic lifestyle as she addressed everything from diet and exercise to sexual behavior and health.

As a Benedictine nun, she was a thorn in the side of church leaders since she “heard voices” and had blinding visions that directed her in ways that challenged a male clergy. She founded two Benedictine abbeys along the Rhine River in Germany where she spent her life in prayer, writing, music, art, and healing and counseling all those who came to the abbey’s doorstep.

In this eBook, Smith not only describes Hildegard as a healer but also as seer and prophet, and as a visionary. Her philosophy and psychotherapy centered around the body-soul relationship where she identified 35 vices and 35 virtues to offset the vices. These are matched with physical disorders that we might see today.

Living a healed and whole life meant finding the balance between physical health and spiritual health. As an herbalist and early aromatherapist, she taught her nuns how to concoct all kinds of remedies using the plants that grew in the abbey gardens. Her medicine is actually taught and practiced across Europe today.

Contact: Linda@T-W-Services.com

www.TransformationalWellnessServices.com

To listen to the interview, click the player below. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestion, please use the comment section under this post or contact Ellen Kamhi here.

You may also be interested in the following podcasts:

• Energy Medicine for Healing with Dr. Dolores Fazzino
• Integrating Subtle Energy in Medicine with Linda Lancaster, ND PhD
• The Ancient and New Focus of Energy Healing with Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS
• Taming moodiness using natural remedies with Sara-Chana Silverstein IBCLC, RH (AHG).

Detoxification is the topic of discussion when Dr. Eugene Zampieron, ND www.drznaturally.com, interviews Dr Garry D’Brant.

About Dr. D’Brant

Dr. D’Brant is a Chiropractor, Certified NYS Nutritionist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Diplomate of the Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture, Diplomate of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Nutrition. Additionally, he is a senior trainer in PEER, Primary Emotional Release Recovery and a practitioner of ECT, Emotional Clearing Technique. His practice focuses on balancing the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of each individual. He specializes in detoxification, restoring people who are chronically fatigued and who may suffer from adrenal burnout and those who are struggling with trying to lose weight. His practice includes women, men and children of all ages. He has offices in Glen Cove, New York and in Manhattan.

Contact: drdbrant.com
(516) 609 0890

To listen to the interview, click the player below. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestion, please use the comment section under this post or contact Ellen Kamhi here.

You may also be interested in herbs that help detoxification process.

Passionflower is the name of a vine that usually climbs trellises and walls. It is renowned for its beautiful flowers with white, purple, blue, or pink calyx crown blooms. Its use as a medicinal plant is recorded as far back in history as the 17^th century. Although the name, Passionflower, leads some people to believe that this herb might be used as an aphrodisiac, that is not the case. It actually is more of a spiritual reference. When the Jesuit Priests first arrived in the New World, they were struck by the breath taking beauty of this spectacular flower. They saw a resemblance to the crown of thorns worn by Christ, and thought the five stamens inside the flower to look like the nails used on the cross. The priests interpreted the representation of this flower to be a ‘sign’ that they were supposed to stay in the New World and bring the teachings of Christ to the native people.   Modern science has confirmed the traditional medicinal use as a relaxant, and anti-stress herb. It is a common ingredient in carminatives (herbs used to calm the nerves) and is often used in combination with other relaxants such as Valerian and Hops.

Passionflower contains flavonoids and other constituents such as Harman alkaloids that are probably responsible for its relaxing and anti-anxiety effects.

The flowers stems and leaves are all collected to create an herbal therapy. If you are going to choose a Passionflower product that may support rest and sleep, some products are standardized to contain no less than 0.8% flavonoids, and will say so on the label. Passionflower is also often used to help calm down anxiety, and is often combined with other relaxation herbs, such as lemon balm, hops and valerian.

Studies have confirmed that Passionflower may be as effective as anti-anxiety medication, such as oxazepan (Serax®) but was better tolerated and had less adverse effects.

Modern science is continuing to study Passionflower and is revealing other healing properties. For example a Sept 2016 study investigated the positive effects of passionflower as an aid for colitis and gastrointestinal inflammation. A study published in June 2016 studied an herbal combination that includes passionflower and found that it can be helpful for quality of life and sexual function of perimenopausal women.

To use Passionflower as an herbal remedy pick a flower off the vine along with a few leaves, cut up with a scissor and put in a cup. Add hot boiling water, and allow to steep for 5-8 minutes. Strain the liquid and drink the tea. You can also add some peppermint leaves for more flavor. Of course passionflower is also available for purchase in the health food store, as a tea, tincture or capsule. Follow the directions on the bottle.

Passionflower has been found to be safe after thousands of years of traditional use. However, as with any herb or food, there is a possibility for herb drug interactions if you are taking pharmaceutical medications, although there are no reports in the literature of adverse effects due to passionflower.

Passionflower grows well in warm environments, and may be the perfect decorative vine to grow in Florida, since it can be enjoyed as breathtaking flower and clipped to make a cup of relaxing tea!

References:

Akhondzadeh S, Naghavi HR, Vazirian M, et al. Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam. J Clin Pharm Ther 2001;26:363–7.

Anzoise ML, et.al, Beneficial properties of Passiflora caerulea on experimental colitis., J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Sep 2. pii: S0378-8741(16)30652-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.09.002

Caruso S, et. Al, Effects of nutraceuticals on quality of life and sexual function of perimenopausal women. J Endocrinol Invest. 2016 Jun 14.

Fisher AA, Purcell P, Le Couteur DG. Toxicity of Passiflora incarnata L. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2000;38:63–6.

Foster S. Herbs for Your Health. Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1996, 68–9.

Meier B. Passiflora incarnata L.—Passion flower: Portrait of a medicinal plant. Zeitschrift Phytother 1995;16:115–26.

Newall CA, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 1996, 206–7.

Wichtl M. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1994, 363–5.

5. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 1996, 206–7.

Ellen Kamhi PhD, RN, The Natural Nurse®, is the author of several books, including THE NATURAL MEDICINE CHEST. Dr. Kamhi has been involved in natural health care for over 4 decades. She offers consults in person or by phone (954) 418-2388.

As an ethnobotanist, I regularly lead tours to indigenous areas to interact with local shamans and herbalists. These tours include going to New York’s ChinaTown, as well as the Island of Jamaica. I was recently giving an EcoTour for Cures at New York’s Botanical Gardens, and met, face to face, for the first time, a Rhodiola plant!! Since these are native to other areas of the world, such as Siberia, it is a rare treat to see one growing.

Modern popularity is further driven by scientific research highlighting a long list of health benefits from taking rhodiola, such as:

• supporting stress tolerance (adaptogenic),
• fighting fatigue,
• maintaining emotional balance,
• enhancing mental and physical performance,
• promoting male sexual function,
• supporting cardiovascular health,
• maintaining healthy resistance to infection and other benefits.

Rhodiola has been the subject of research which has confirmed its effectiveness and safety in many of the applications listed above. Although there are various constituents in rhodiola which may be active, the most recent research suggests very strongly that the compound rosavin is the most important constituent accounting for the herb’s main benefits.

A scientific review of the research reveals that a range between 2.5-3.5mg of rosavin twice per day is an appropriate intake for providing many of rhodiola’s benefits. This doesn’t mean that rosavin is the only beneficial component of rhodiol, however, evidence suggests it is the most critical and active. In the July edition of HerbalGram, there is a report entitled “European Medicines Agency Publishes 7 New Final Community Monographs for Herbs.”

This report is significant because the London-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) is developing official herbal monographs and has completed 96 monographs so far in this ongoing project. Rhodiola is among the newest herbs to have been listed as having an official monograph, which was published May 29, 2012.

The EMA is charged with the evaluation of both herbal and conventional medicines used in the European Union. The recently released Rhodiola monograph states this herb is a “traditional herbal medicinal product for temporary relief of symptoms of stress, such as fatigue and sensation of weakness.” It is not recommended for children under 18 or pregnant or nursing women, since there is insufficient safety data. In the US, Rhodiola is experiencing growth, as more people are seeking ways to decrease the effects of a stressful lifestyle, but as scientific discovery expands its uses for graceful aging support is growing.