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bruceb
12th June 2003, 22:51
I have pretty much given up any hot drink when green tea is available. I take a bit of apple cider vinegar in a cup of water every day, and now, my acupuncturist, reccommends a bit of castor oil rubbed over the spots on the skin over my liver to help it heal.

As silly as it sounds, I am starting to feel a whole lot better.

When I stopped drinking carbonated beverages, that wasn't as hard as choking down the apple cider vinegar or believing that a little castor oil would relieve the constant low level stitch I have in my side, but it seems to be working.

Does anyone have an idea why or how these remedys would work to help a liver get better?

Joshua Lerner
13th June 2003, 00:59
Bruce,

I suspect that your acupuncturist is having you drink the vinegar because it is so sour. The sour flavor is associated with the liver in Chinese medicine, and sour herbs or foods are sometimes used to treat conditions related to the liver. The most common signs of liver dysfunction in Chinese medicine can include pain in the sides of the trunk or the ribs (called the "hypochondriac region"), irritability, and simmering, repressed anger. Dizziness, too, is often a sign of a certain type of liver dysfunction. Many other signs, too, but those are some of the major ones.

Castor oil - I'm not sure. It's not used in Chinese medicine to my knowledge, though it's actions can be described in terms of Chinese medical theory. He or she is probably using it for its western medical properties, which I don't remember off the top of my head aside from vague descriptions of it being a "liver cleanser".

Take care,

Jay Bell
13th June 2003, 05:59
Hrm..one thing that Apple Cider Vinegar is help rebalance the PH in the body. It's pretty alkaline stuff.

Have you tried taking milk thistle? very good liver support.

Here's a link for a liver flush...amazing results...might be something you would want to try...

Liver Flush (http://www.marysherbs.com/Miscellaneous/gl-flushP.htm)

elder999
13th June 2003, 14:30
Originally posted by Jay Bell
Hrm..one thing that Apple Cider Vinegar is help rebalance the PH in the body. It's pretty alkaline stuff.


Actually, apple cider vinegar is acidic, with a pH of about 5.6...it's 4 to 8% Acetic acid, which is what's responsible for its characteristic odor.

Vinegar=Acetic Acid

Vinegar is formed from dilute solutions of alcohol, such as wine, by the action of certain bacteria in the presence of oxygen. These bacteria require oxygen, and the overall chemical change is the reaction of ethanol with oxygen to form acetic acid and water.


CH3CH2OH+0s---->Ch3COH=(O)+H2O

L-Fitzgerald
25th June 2003, 18:56
Find the book Vermont Folk Medicine.... another interesting natural remedy is Essiac Tea, look it up on Google, and then follow the threads.........

bruceb
29th June 2003, 17:21
It must be catching on ..... because when I was fixing an outboard motor yesterday, all the Arizona Green Tea was gone? Not just in one store, but two nearby where I was working?

I guess, it isn't just me? Other people are getting into the habit of cold green tea on a hot day?

Did you know there was castor oil in gasket sealer? Weird.

I don't think putting gasket sealer on my skin would be the same as castor oil .... although ... for how many years did old people swear some WD-40 sprayed on arthritic joints would relieve pain? You have heard that one, right?

I think it is some kind of petroleum poisoning, but since the 1960s there have been hundreds of people who swear a little WD-40 relieves those old stiff joints .... use this cure at your own risk. Even though I have been exposed to more chemicals that the average homeowner, WD-40 being one of them, the toxic poisoning isn't worth the results.

Jim_Jude
29th June 2003, 23:07
read some books by Paul Bragg (ie Liquid Aminos & other products, including Apple Cider Vinegar - all organic).
Lots of info on Vegan Organic Living & natural food remedies and lifestyle.

mach5_kel
13th August 2003, 02:42
Common Theraputic Uses

Orally, tea is used to improve cognitive performance, to treat stomach disorders, vomiting, diarrhoea, brighten the eyes, clear the voice, and improve spirits. It is also used as a diuretic and astringent. It has slightly cooling, bitter and sweet properties. Green tea is also an excellent digestive aid, as it helps to cut through the fats from a heavy meal.

One must be carefull not consume tea in excessive quantities because tea does contain caffine and is slighly cooling and too much tea could disrupt digestion for those with a weak constitution. Tea that is infused rather than steeped retains most of the healing propertys while little of the caffine and is easier on the body in general.

It also has been shown to be used to maintain remission in people with Crohn's disease, to prevent Parkinson's disease, and to protect against heart disease, dental cavities, and kidney stones.

Topically, tea bags or poultices made of tea leaves are used to soothe sunburns, as a compress for headaches or tired eyes, to stop bleeding of tooth sockets, drying herpes outbreaks and posion ivy rashes.

Interestingly tea is also helpful in opening up the meridians (acupuncture channels) when drank on a regular basis.

TCM Food Cures

For TCM medical use of tea, brew it strongly by simmering the leaves for around 30 minuets. Then orally take one teaspoon 3 to 4 times a day for acute or chronic inflammation of the intestinal track or dysentery. Ginger also may be added to strengthen the effects. Some sources claim up to a 90% recovery rate from acute enteritis/ gastritis)*. The effects on dysentery were slightly less encouraging as a primary source of treatment, at 2mls of strong tea, 3 to 4 times daily reporting 40.6 recovery rate within a few days.

http://www3.telus.net/nin/health/nutrition/tea.htm

Eric Vander Wal

Jim_Jude
16th August 2003, 16:00
Originally posted by elder999
Actually, apple cider vinegar is acidic, with a pH of about 5.6...it's 4 to 8% Acetic acid, which is what's responsible for its characteristic odor.

Vinegar=Acetic Acid

Vinegar is formed from dilute solutions of alcohol, such as wine, by the action of certain bacteria in the presence of oxygen. These bacteria require oxygen, and the overall chemical change is the reaction of ethanol with oxygen to form acetic acid and water.


CH3CH2OH+0s---->Ch3COH=(O)+H2O

Actually, while Apple Cider Vinegar is acidic as far a pH goes, it has an alkalizing effect when ingested, similar to grapefruit, while a citrus fruit, also has an alkalizing effect.
It's important when using food as medicine to get them from as pure a source as possible. Such as unpasturized, raw organic ACV from Spectrum or Bragg. I like both, Bragg is usually more expensive because you get a picture of Patricia Bragg on the front. I don't find her particularly attractive, so I buy Spectrum :) plus, Spectrum has great organic olive & nut oils. Check them out...

Jay Bell
16th August 2003, 17:01
True...many "foods" are this way. There's a basic idea that many things that are acidic outside of the body are alkaline inside the body....and vice versa.