Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, and spastic bowel all share the same symptoms, including recurring abdominal pain with periods of constipation, followed by periods of diarrhea. The spasticity of the bowel is due to abnormal muscular contractions in the colon.
Some possible causes of irritable bowel syndrome include:

➤ Anxiety
➤ Stress
➤ Parasitic infestation
➤ Bacterial or other infection of the bowel
➤ Food allergies

A spastic bowel can be difficult to work with because of the unpredictability of the symptoms. If you are working with constipation, a bowel stimulant such as cascara sagrada will be helpful; however, when you have diarrhea, cascara may make it worse!

Dong Quai for Wannabe Moms

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is another Asian herb known for its female-enhancing qualities—in fact, this herb has also been called the ginseng for women. Dong quai seems to have similar effects on the body as estrogen does. You can take this herb to help your skin become soft and supple, help lubricate dry vaginal tissue, stop excess bleeding after giving birth, and promote menstruation when it’s late.
Dong quai has warming, moistening (wetting) energetics, and therefore seems to “warm” frigidity. It also can help soothe the nervous system and is used by many women to relax symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
In nature, seeds are a plant’s glandular system. The seed provides everything inside it to blossom into a fully developed, vital plant, given the correct conditions such as water, air, sunshine, and soil. Eating the glandular system of the seeds can help nourish your own reproductive system. Because seeds are usually small, seed butters can make an excellent way to eat seeds—when you’re thinking pregnancy, dip your celery stick into some sesame seed butter.

Ginseng: A Manly Solution

Ginseng (Korean Panax schin-seng) (Siberian Eleutherococcus) (Wild American Panax
quinquefolium) is both a male and female remedy for infertility and has been used since ancient times for a host of conditions. The root of the ginseng plant is thick and resembles a manly shape, which could be was how it was first considered to be a manly tonic. Ginseng helps the body to utilize oxygen better, acts as a tonic to the adrenal glands to help them conserve vitamin C, and serves as a tonic to the entire glandular system, thus saving energy.
You might notice a few different types of ginseng: typically, Siberian, Korean, and Wild American ginseng. Which one do you pick, you ask? That will come in handy again here. Wild American ginseng is “cooling” energetically, which makes it especially useful for you guys who tend to run hotter in general. You might want to take this ginseng during the hot months. On the other hand, Korean and Siberian ginseng are similar in their properties and have “warming” energetics, meaning that they have a warming effect on your body. These herbs tend to warm the system slightly, so you will probably want to use them during colder months.
Some say that Wild American ginseng is better suited to women and that Asian ginseng is better for men. It is difficult to say for sure, however, as I have seen each benefit from all three, depending on what effects people are seeking. Use the energetic approach to help you decide, or work with your herbalist.
Ginseng may help boost your fertility, but a combination of herbs to feed your entire reproductive and circulatory system is even better. See the table at the end of this chapter for some more herbs used for the glandular system. Some extra tips include munching on pumpkin seeds, avoiding alcohol and other toxins, switching to boxer shorts, and not exposing yourself to extreme temperatures too often (such as sitting in a hot tub). Sperm needs a balanced temperature to stay active—not too hot and not too cold.

Infertility: From Humility to Virility

Many frustrated wannabe parents are turning to science more and more to help them conceive with in vitro fertilization, fertility drugs, and the like. However, most insurance companies do not pay for these extracurricular procedures, which can be downright expensive, not to mention exhausting!
For a gentler approach, let’s look at some herbal alternatives that have helped others with this trouble. Besides, herbs are more mild and safe as concentrated food sources—there’s a good chance that you won’t wind up with eight babies at one time if you boost your system with herbs instead of drugs! Having just one baby at a time makes parenting about eight times less hectic!

Damiana, for Cold Dames

Women occasionally can experience frigidity (lack of interest in or feeling repulsed by sex) for some of the same mental, emotional, and physical reasons that men suffer from impotency. However, some other factors may be involved for women, including vaginal dryness caused by menopause, hormonal changes, or physical problems with the uterus, ovaries, or cervix that keep sex from being enjoyable. Find out what could be causing these problems, and talk to your doctor for answers. Follow the other guidelines in the previous table that also can work for men, and then start taking damiana.
Damiana (pronounced dame-ee-anna) (Turnera aphrodisiaca) has served both men and women as a sexual stimulant. This plant comes from Mexico and the West Indies and has been used historically to tone the nervous system and stimulate testosterone, predominately a male hormone. (Women have a little in their system, too.) Herbs will help balance out the body, so don’t worry—you shouldn’t start growing facial hair!
You ladies will also find damiana useful for hot flashes, depression, vertigo, PMS, and constipation It has been used to strengthen kidneys and ease menopausal symptoms. Some have even smoked damiana before making love (not recommended here!).

Yohimbe for Men: Hard to Find

Taking into account that many factors can be linked to impotence, I have highlighted one herb that has a stimulating effect on the male species. The herb known as yohimbe is a very powerful herb that is hard to come by (no pun intended!), for the pure stuff can sell for as high as $1.00 per capsule.
The bark of this herb contains the alkaloid yohimbine, known for its effects on the circulatory system—especially to the genitals. This tropical plant is found in West Africa and has been smoked, snuffed, and rubbed on the body for its sexually stimulating abilities. Yohimbe can cause hallucinations in high doses and is best mixed with other ingredients. See the table at the end of this chapter for a good combination you can use to heighten your senses without causing damage.
Yohimbe was the first FDA-approved substance for treating impotence and is successful in 34 to 43 percent of cases. You may want to try a combination that contains yohimbe before considering the drug Viagra. The side effects of Viagra include headaches, seeing blue, and blackouts due to a drop in blood pressure. Yohimbe used correctly and obtained from a quality manufacturer is a much safer way to add a boon to your sex life.

Impotence: A Very Impotent Subject

Pharmaceutical companies may have realized firsthand what a large problem male impotency has become with the explosive popularity of the new pharmaceutical drug Viagra®, a male sexual potency enhancer. But before you go experimenting with any pharmaceuticals, you might want to understand your underlying problem first. Once you eliminate some of your possible causes, I’ll turn you on to a healthy, holistic approach to impotency (or frigidity, in women) along with some very stimulating herbs.
These possible causes may be affecting your sexual interest or performance:

• Use of drugs such as blood pressure medication, tranquilizers, and antidepressants. Discuss these factors with your prescribing doctor.
• Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and marijuana, which can make a person numb to sex and may lead to impotency with prolonged use.
• Abuse of alcohol, which destroys important hormones and weakens sexual drive.
• Cigarette smoking, which can inhibit circulation to the groin area and contribute to impotency.Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries due to fat in the blood, hypertension, and/or calcium deposits), which inhibits circulation to all parts of the body and could affect your sex life.
• Mental or emotional issues from past experiences. Traumatic events or current stress all need to be evaluated to see whether this is the core of the problem—remember that sex is also a mental process.

All of these problems can be overcome separately with the use of herbs and changes in diet. But first you’ll need to consider which one(s) is most likely your contributing factor.