Welcome to this video, I'm Tom O Brien, at Empowering Medicine, I'm going to talk to you today, about 10 herbs that can help people to over come addiction
Now obviously the person has to be ready, to come off addictive substances, herbs don't work on their own, there not magical,
They do support the person deal with the symptoms of anxiety, muscle pain, restlessness, nervousness and insomnia,
And I am going to focus on herbs today that help with these symptoms, and the first one is Milk Thistle
because the liver is a key organ in the whole drug use and detoxification process, and Milk Thistle is one of the best herbs to support regeneration,
of the liver, protects the liver, strengthens the liver, helps the liver function at optimum ability and increase our vitality,
the liver plays a very important function in our energy, and overcoming depression
No., 2 is Burdock root, Burdock root is a blood cleanser and adaptogen and the blood is our vitality, its our vital force and it carries toxins and nutrients around the body,
and unless we cleanse the blood those toxins, are going to circulate and we need to help the body get rid of toxins, thats what detoxing is about,
and there is no better herb to cleanse the blood than burdock root,
Burdock root was used as a medicine during the industrial revolution, to help people cope with the side effects of pollution, in the air, so you can see how
What Burdock does it it helps the body, remove that metabolic waste through the lymph system, the blood and the liver,
and it gets rid of it through those systems, and through the skin,
No. 3 is Yellow Dock, Yellow dock is a great herb, for cleansing and detoxifying the blood, but also it works more on helping the body to release Iron
existing sources of Iron within the liver, helps the body utilise Iron, thats there already, and make it more available for blood and for body restoration, rebuilding and strengthening,
So Yellow do is going to strengthen the blood, and our vital force,
Next we move on to the nervous system and we have at no. 4 Wild Lettuce, Wild lettuce has some times been called, natures opium,
there is white sap that can be extruded from Wild Lettuce, that can be dried and used as a mild pain killer,
Wild Lettuce is a nervous system tonic, that helps in the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, restlessness and depression, many of the symptoms, people have when they are coming off substances,
No. 5 is Devils Claw, which is a great herb in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and pain
and therefor its a great support for people when they have those muscles aches and pains, and restlessness and Devil's Claw
can be used as a decoction made into a drink
No. 6 is Astragalus, an adaptogen and adaptogens are a group of herbs that help people adapt to stressful situations, when the body is going through
a lot of change, as in the case of someone coming off addictive substances, there is a lot of adapting and adjusting and adaptogens are herbs
that help the body adapt to the stress, physical, emotional and mental stress, and what more stressful situation can you have than coming off addictive substances,
some studies have also suggested that astragalus can be used in the treatment of hepatitis, some times associated with certain forms of drug use
No. 7 is Siberian Ginseng, also a great herb to help people deal with stress, and stress is a big factor in people who are coming off drugs,
trying to adapt to new situations and deal with new stressors and unless we have some natural sources of dealing with those stressors were likely to relapse back into the habits of drug use,
Siberian Ginseng works on the adrenal glands, which rest above the kidneys, and excrete those stress hormones,
So its going to help us deal with Adrenal fatigue, exhaustion of the nervous system, which is often very common in people who have been through long periods of drug use
so Siberian Ginseng helps use deal with the exhaustion, restlessness and stress associated with drug use and nurtures the nervous system, and strengthens us to deal with the next phase of our life
No. 8 is Chamomile, chamomile is probably one of the best herbs for stress and anxiety,
Chamomile helps to relax the nerves, its an anti inflammatory as well, reduces inflammation, clears toxins, and soothes the nervous system,
Chamomile is a great herb to restore the nervous system, over come the exhaustion and fatigue associated with periods of drug use,
its commonly used in the treatment of hyperactivity, anxiety, insomnia and nervous tension, chamomile can be drank as a tea, in the evening helping people to have a better sleep
having a good sleep is essential to recovery, nothing worse than a bad nights sleep!
No. 9 is passion flower, another nervous system tonic, passion flower has many studies to support its use in the treatment of anxiety, depression and insomnia
it calms and relaxes the nervous system and restores nerves to optimum functioning, it lowers blood pressure and increases respiration inducing a state of calm,
it also improves sleep and can be used very well in combination with chamomile, and it is commonly used in the treatment of alcoholism, anxiety and depression
No 10 is Ashwagandha, an Ayurvedic herb that is also an adaptogen, as said earlier adaptogens help people cope with stress
and there is nothing more stressful that coming off addictive substances, so Ashwagandha is a great herb to help people to adapt to the stress of change
Ashwagandha also has a sedative effect and so helps people coming off drugs where there is increased anxiety as people readjust to a non drug state
Addiction can't be over come on its own, so if your watching this video I hope these herbs will help you but also reach out and look for help in your community
Remember; if you are coming off addictive substances consult with a medical practitioner, a psychologist, a counsellor,
If this video can help somebody, please share on Facebook or Twitter,
Hyprocrates said let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food, I've enjoyed this video and I look forward to seeing you in a video very soon,