http://www.ei-resource.org/ 2212-550 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-s%11z/tanalbit-(antifungal-&-antibacterial)/ Very potent product to promote GI health. Tanalbit was recommended by my naturopath for my toenail fungus and associated fungal/candida symptoms (white, coated tongue; fatigue; undigested food) and have seen solid results with no side effects or "die off" reactions. Recommendation from vendor is to use the product 3 times a day, 2-3 pills each time for 4-6 weeks, with a maintenance period following in which the dosage is tapered off. I experimented with the product for 2 weeks, 6 pills a day (equivalent to 120 count bottle) and saw results in that time. Within a week of stopping Tanalbit, many of my symptoms returned, and I realized how effective the product had been. I started back on the Tanalbit, 9 pills a day, and within a week my symptoms again began to reside. Firmly believe in the effectiveness of this product for those with GI concerns and candida overgrowth. The results are not instant and take some patience, but over time seem to work very strongly. ]]> Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:25:28 +0000 3880-543 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-m%11r/olive-leaf-extract/ As a chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) sufferer of 20 years, it makes a lot of sense to me to include olive leaf extract in my regular supplement regime. It has proven activity against the herpes family of viruses, many of which (e.g. EBV, HHV-6) have been shown time and time again to be present and active in a large proportion of ME/CFS patients. In addition olive leaf extract is antibacterial and antifungal and as any ME/CFS sufferer will tell you, bacterial and fungal infections, particularly in the gut in the form of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and Candida/fungal overgrowth, are a common and stubborn complication of the immune dysfunction which we experience. Olive leaf extract then is a great all-rounder that directly tackles all types of chronic infections that can be involved in chronic fatigue syndrome. On top of that it is a potent antioxidant (ME/CFS is associated with antioxidant depletion and oxidative stress) and is also much more affordable than many other supplements and medications, particularly antivirals and immunomodulators. My own personal experience confirms to me that olive leaf extract is indeed effective against intestinal fungal and bacterial overgrowth, based on tell-tale die-off symptoms and repeat stool analyses. Its effect on viruses is harder to confirm and quantify. All I can say is that my illness began with a recurrent viral infection (glandular fever initially suspected) and I do experience an appreciable increase in energy and decrease in fatigue when taking olive leaf extract. Supplements do vary widely in quality so it is best to look for those that state that they have been standardised to contain >15% oleuropein. ]]> Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:00:25 +0000 3852-541 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-m%11r/pau-d'arco/ I have tried Pau D'Arco in various forms and would atest to its reported antifungal activity. As a result of the immune dysfunction associated with chronic fatigue syndrome I have for years struggled with intestinal bacterial and yeast overgrowth. Taking antifungals, both prescription drugs and natural alternatives, has always resulted in distinctive nervous system-related symptoms for me, including irritability, restlessness, and anxiety. I can only attribute these to a die-off, or Herxheimer, reaction. In any event Pau D'Arco in its various forms has elicited this same set of symptoms in me very quickly with daily use so I would suggest that it would indeed be effective as an antifungal. Unfortunately, I am unable to tolerate it, or any other antifungal, for the prolonged periods my condition apparently requires. I afeel I should mention that as a tea Pau D'Arco can kindly be referred to as an acquired taste. It is tree bark, and it basically tastes like tree bark. I'd opt for capsules or a liquid extract! ]]> Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:17:33 +0000 3822-540 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-g%11l/licorice/ As a long-term chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) sufferer and having had adrenal stress index (ASI) results suggesting low morning cortisol was a possible explanation for my increasing difficulty waking up and getting going in the mornings, I decided to try a short trial of a licorice root supplement. I took a modest dosage of 250mg/day of a supplement with glycyrrhizin content standardized to 20% for one week. The effect was rapid and pronounced. Within a couple of days I was waking up early, feeling full of energy. I found the sense of energy lasted throughout the day and the licorice altered my diurnal pattern so I was waking early and going to bed early, the opposite of what has become "normal" for me. After a week I had come to appreciate the ability to wake up early in the morning and feel like I had the drive and energy to accomplish tasks throughout the day but it had become apparent that rather than genuinely having more energy I was actually feeling rather "wired". I found I couldn't switch off and relax even when not engaged in any stressful activities. It was as if my body constantly wanted me to be on the move. After I stopped taking the licorice supplement the effects I would associate with increased cortisol (being able to wake early) gradually wore off but I have been left feeling I am incapable of relaxing. I also feel my heart is constantly pounding and have increased muscle tension in my neck and shoulders. It is now a number of years since I took the licorice but still these effects remain. Based on my experience I would say that licorice may well benefit those suffering from ME/CFS and/or adrenal fatigue but is clearly very potent and should be used with caution and only under the guidance of a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner. ]]> Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:09:55 +0000 3178-485 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-m%11r/milk-thistle-(silymarin)/ i suffer from systemic candida and used to suffer from pretty bad liver pain i guess from all the toxins. i would constantly feel sore just under the right side of my rib cage and also in my intestines. a naturopath i was seeing recommended milk thistle so i began taking a high potency product she gave me and after just a few months i noticed i was didn't have the pain and soreness any more. i don't know if milk thistle would help everybody but it definitely helped me! ]]> Sun, 30 May 2010 22:05:12 +0000 2407-470 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-a%11f/artichoke-(cynara-scolymus)/ I have used artichoke in the past for my IBS with constipation. I found it improved the color and composition of my bowel movements but did not see much change in frequency. I believe the changes I noticed may be because artichoke is supposed to improve bile flow? I did feel generally better with artichoke but have recently been using peppermint which has definitely been more helpful (see my review on this site). I think artichoke is worth trying for any digestive disorder but would recommend trying peppermint as well since that has been the key to symptom relief for me. ]]> Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:51:42 +0000 3288-469 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-m%11r/peppermint/ A friend suggested I try peppermint capsules after seeing it talked about for IBS on a TV show. I am so glad she did! As a sufferer of more than 15 years I manage the best I can with diet and avoiding stress as best I can but still have symptoms. Peppermint has really helped over the past 6 months that I have been using it. I am usually chronically constipated but peppermint has really helped in that department (so much so that I go the other way if I take too much!). It has also reduced my abdominal pain and bloating noticeably. Such a simple remedy that is very affordable but is also very powerful. I would recommend it to anyone with IBS or just general digestive upset. I started researching it online recently and a lot of medical studies prove it works. ]]> Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:45:49 +0000 3440-447 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-s%11z/st-johns-wort/ I now realise I have been suffering from depression for the past 4-5 years and things get worse in winter so I believe I have some form of SAD or winter depression. My doctor has had me on an SSRI (Seroxat/paroxetine) and an SNRI (Venlafaxine) - neither of which helped in the slightest but did reduce my libido and cause some nausea! After doing some reading and having a further appointment with my doctor who offered me yet another variation on these drugs I decided to take the alternative route and give St. John's wort a go. I'm very glad I did as in a week or so I was seeing noticeable improvements in my mood and motivation. My friends and family even noticed. After a few months of taking 300mg every day and continued improvement my long-term girlfriend said she was delighted to have the real me back! After reading the description on this page of how this herb supposedly works I can only guess that it is the wide range of different ways in which it works that means it has helped where the drugs failed. I have had none of the side-effects and couldn't be happier to have discovered St. John's wort. If you are having no luck with antidepressant drugs or if you just want to bypass all of that and prefer a natural approach I'd recommend you give this herb a try. ]]> Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:35:45 +0000 3440-446 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-s%11z/st-johns-wort/ It sounds like I used St. John's wort for very similar problems to the reviewer below but unfortunately I didn't experience any improvement after using it for 3 months at the same dose of 300mg/day. I do have many other underlying health problems stemming from chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) however which can certainly effect how medications and supplements work (or not). I have found the only supplements that improve my mood are those that have an immediate stimulatory effect. These include vitamin D, ginseng and n-acetyl-tyrosine. Having found St. John's wort was no help for me I have still given it an 8 in the 'Would you recommend?' category purely because the substantial body of medical research on this herb points to it being helpful for many people for mild to moderate depression. In fact the conclusions many review studies draw is that it is at least as effective as antidepressant drugs - Adam72's experience seems to support this! I should add that I experienced no side-effects while taking St. John's wort but this may not be the case for everyone. Also this herb should be used as an alternative to antidepressant drugs NOT as well as them. Please discuss with your doctor. ]]> Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:47:04 +0000 3268-407 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-herbal-remedies/herbs-s%11z/valerian/ I have used valerian on and off for a number of years in capsule and tablet form and find it can be a useful herb. My symptoms tend to vary with the seasons due to the involvement of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) so I am able to sleep better during some periods during the year than others. When I need help with sleep I find valerian to be quite helpful in getting me off to sleep. I take 1000mg-1500mg for this purpose. Another supplement I use for sleep is melatonin (the body's own "sleep hormone") and I would rate melatonin above valerian for this purpose. Just 1mg of melatonin has me drifting off in 15 minutes and I can really feel myself drifting into unconciousness with it. I have found that valerian however is also useful for taking the edge off anxiety and states of irritability and restlessness if taken throughout the day. It is nowhere near as powerful as prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines for this purpose, but it does have an effect. I would certainly recommend anyone suffering from mild insomnia, anxiety, or stress-related symptoms give it a try as it could be a cheap and drug-free solution. ]]> Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:28:29 +0000