Dear Ladies

Regarding Fibromyalgia, I've been studying up on herbs in order to bring more elasicity and lushness to the skin as well as more suppleness to tendons.

Within the book 'ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS'
Treatment Strategies Integrating Western and Oriental Medicine by Peter Holmes VOL.2 (isbn 1-890029-07-6 )I came across 'CHASTETREE BERRY HERB', Latin name Vitex agnus castus L., OR V trifolio L. (Verbenacea).

It is 'a mild remedy with minimal chronic toxicity' and works on the 'liver, kidney, spleen, lung, chong, Ren meridiens'.

It 'stimulates circulation, dispels wind/damp/cold and relieves joint and muscle pain'.

'wind damp cold obstruction' causes painful joints and muscles, chills and headache.
Chastetree berry helps ARTHRITIS, FIBROMYALGIA, MUSCLE TENSION.

The reason CHASTETREE BERRY HERB helps fibromyalgia is due to its bitter pungent taste, the essential oil and flavonoid content. 'Its an antirheumatic and (its) analgesic action (can be) applied to rheumatic, fibromyalgic, arthritic and gastrointestinal pain'.

It is an expectorant, digestive stimulant, diuretic, spasmolytic and muscle relaxant.

It acts as an arterial stimulant and gives nervous sedation at the same time.

It also is a reproductive restorative and has a normalizing effect on the female system due to its dopaminergic action.

Remember ladies dopamine and seretonin in the brain are responsible for pleasure and the decreasing or dealing with the pain we feel.

As we age our dopamine and seretonin levels drop but they can be refreshed through diet and herbs.

They have just found out that the remedy chastetree berry has progesteronic and estrogenic, (although primarily progesteronic), actions that is why it helps to bring the body back into balance.

The chastetree berry herb has its most powerful effect in a tincture. The book says tincture dosage is 1-3ml.

Note: whenever you take an herbal medicine make sure you check with a pharmacist or doctor if you are on medication because there could be contra -indications. The chemistry of the herb may be in conflict with your medication or create a soup of toxins.

Licorice root is also available to help many problems with its estrogenic action and its energy also moves into all 12 meridiens. It's estrogenic properties help those with spleen/kidney qi deficiency. It also takes a hard edge off of other herbs that you may be taking.

Licorice -latin name glycyrrhiza L., G. uralensis,
Pharmaceutical name is - radix glycyrrhizae. With licorice root you need to study up on it, there are various kinds.

Remember herbal tinctures are more powerful than herbs that are decocted in a cup with boiling water.

It's very important to know your body, the medicines you take, their chemical composition, whether through deep personal study and knowledge or through the help of a doctor or pharmacist.

You also need to know what the combination of different herbs will do.

With thanks to Peter Holmes, this information wouldn't be available as he is the first man to study western herbs going back to the Greek days in history's time and to apply the chinese method of understanding the properties and energetic functions of western herbs.

Have a lovely day ladies.

with care
Leigha