NocturnalHerbalist

Wild swimming in winter (or cold showers) as popularised by Wim Hof and others seem to help poor circulation, inflammatory disorders, depression and many other issues. In this Livestream I discuss my thoughts on these practices and show and tell some of the little herbal hacks I use to help recover from cold exposure! LINKS: Cold water swimming benefits – detailed research paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7730683/ Clear instruction video on ice water hand and foot training for poor circulation, Reynaud’s, and (potentially?) reducing neuropathic pain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzg7dfllzvM The original VICE documentary on Wim Hof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaMjhwFE1Zw&t=42s Research paper on the many biological activities of Cayenne (chilli) pepper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432674/ Angelica root – traditional medicinal uses: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Angelica+archangelica Wood Betony - traditional uses: https://eattheplanet.org/wood-betony-a-fascinating-herb-with-many-benefits/ Wood Betony’s plant family (Stachys) – interesting phytochemistry research paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7601302/ Rosemary – general research papers: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5905578/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6325740/ ADDENDUM - I couldn't find the specific reference I saw years ago describing Angelica's ability to improve circulation through the heart - but it seems likely to be the coumarins in the root, which have Calcium-channel blocking activity and act as vasodilators. I recall reading that extracts could specifically increase blood flow through the coronary arteries, if I find the reference I will post it! https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pca.2800030108

Many people experience low mood and motivation in the colder, darker months of the year. In this Livestream I talk about Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD from a herbalist's perspective, and riff on a few plant-based and practical remedies.

Many people espouse dietary beliefs which are perceived as rigid or extreme. In this livestream I mull over some thoughts on diet dogma, where it comes from, and some of the positives and negatives of food focused beliefs. LINKS: The "Rawlicious" video which got me thinking about these topics this week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw4lP6UK4-U My favourite YT nutrition channel - balanced and well researched, Nutrition Made Simple https://www.youtube.com/@NutritionMadeSimple

IBS, IBD and endometriosis are common ailments with very different causes, frequently associated with suffering and loss of quality of life. In this livestream I discuss some approaches that may be beneficial for dealing with these issues. LINKS: IBS: need for simultaneous mind + gut treatment (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10496425/ IBS overview https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534810/ IBD overview https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470312/ Endometriosis overview (very technical/medical language) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567777/ Herbal and plant therapy in patients with IBD (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367210/ Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) review (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478785/ Wild Yam general info (website) https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/wild-yam Yam (Dioscorea spp.) pharmacological investigations https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7393038/ Endometriosis and mental health 2-way links – American Psychiatric Association https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2020.4b10 Herbalist Jim McDonald’s excellent Calamus article https://www.herbcraft.org/calamus.html

Life is sometimes Not Fun. But there are things that can be done to make it better: perspective shifts, simple actions, and of course medicinal plants. In this livestream I talk about some of the simple approaches I take with clients (and myself) to help stay afloat when you've barely got the energy to bail the water out of the boat anymore. LINKS: Positive effects of gratitude on mental health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8582291/ Oats (Avena sativa) – a phytochemical overview https://etflin.com/article/90#:~:text=The%20review%20article%20aims%20to%20explore%20plant%20profile%2C,studies%2C%20dosage%20form%2C%20marketed%20formulation%2C%20and%20industrial%20application. Generic paper on Rosa damascena’s medicinal uses (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737971/ Three abstracts of systematic reviews & meta-analyses of Rosa damscena’s utility in mental health issues (depression, anxiety, sleep disorders) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35653142/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34508987/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34405933/ Systematic review of Rosa damascena and PMS/dysmenorrhoea (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8395985/

Migraines are very common, affecting up to 15% of the population (according to Wikipedia), but are poorly understood. In this Livestream I cover some herbal approaches to migraine and potentially useful avenues for exploration in treating this ancient malady. LINKS: General migraine info: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/5005-migraine-headaches Feverfew in migraine prevention meta-analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7133498/ Wood Betony article by Jim McDonald: http://herbcraft.org/betony.html Stachys genus pharmacological investigations https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7601302/

Previous videos: The Medieval Astrology of COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ_wxYnT1Vg&list=PLB6gHKySmYaRSO-2AVgRi0hGNgZCTb6x1&index=3&t=2256s The Renaissance Astrology of COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crcTnxSKVe4&list=PLB6gHKySmYaRSO-2AVgRi0hGNgZCTb6x1&index=6 Infinity astrological magazine article: https://infinityastrologicalmagazine.com/product/iam-32-ants-physical-copy/ BOOK: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/ Practice website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/ Association of Master Herbalists practitioner profile: https://associationofmasterherbalists.co.uk/user/marcospatchett/ ------------------------------------------------ TIMESTAMPS: 00:04:21 Review of global COVID-19 predictions 00:12:50 Incorrect timing of predicted events – revising the astrology of eclipses 00:20:44 Horary chart #1 (2021): How effective and safe are the COVID-19 vaccines? 00:51:41 Horary chart #2 (2021): Would the COVID vaccine harm me? 01:03:05 UK COVID predictions 2021-2022 review 01:12:11 UK March-September 2022 UK predictions 01:26:13 UK September 2022 – March 2023 predictions 01:38:04 UK March 2023 – March 2024 predictions LINKS: Johns Hopkins global case tracking since the start of the pandemic https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/new-cases Global COVID deaths since the start of the pandemic https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ 2021 & early 2022 predictions review: Wikipedia’s COVID review of events in England from June 2021 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_COVID-19_pandemic_in_England_(2021)#March_2021 and in 2022 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_COVID-19_pandemic_in_England_(2022) Childcare costs crisis early 2022 https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2022/03/government-funding-drives-childcare-prices and https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/mar/25/childcare-costs-spiralled-uk-families-survey Highest deaths with COVID in the UK Feb 2022 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-reported-sars-cov-2-deaths-in-england/covid-19-confirmed-deaths-in-england-to-28-february-2022-report

Why Elderberry should make you angry: the criminal underuse of herbal medicines in COVID-19 BOOK: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/ Practice website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/ Association of Master Herbalists practitioner profile: https://associationofmasterherbalists.co.uk/user/marcospatchett/ ------------------------------------------------ TIMESTAMPS 00:01:21 Intro 00:04:31 Medical Ethics - the precautionary principle 00:06:17 Risk-benefit ratio 00:07:50 Distorting effect of profit 00:10:32 Elderberry and COVID-19 00:12:40 Clinical trials update 00:13:24 Problems with funding 00:17:51 Elderberry as an adjunct in COVID-19 00:22:58 Elderberry in URT infections 00:24:50 Elderberry in vitro SARS CoV-2 spike protein inhibition 00:27:15 Elderberry vs. viral "haemagglutinin spikes" 00:29:33 The Flexner report 00:35:55 Issues with Flexner's rubric 00:42:15 Contemporary relevance of the Flexner report 00:44:03 Other plants in COVID-19 00:44:28 Liquorice (Glycycrrhiza glabra) revisited 00:56:23 Mulberry (Morus alba) revisited 00:59:58 Black Seed (Nigella sativa) 01:11:06 N. sativa clinical trial in COVID-19 01:18:04 Safety profile of herbal medicines in COVID-19 01:24:00 Concluding remarks REFERENCES Risk-benefit assessment of herbal adjuvants in COVID-19 (2020) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7542597/ Book: Edwards, S., de Costa Rocha, I., Williamson, E., & Heinrich, M. (2015). Phytopharmacy: an Evidence-Based Guide to Herbal Medicinal Products. Wiley Blackwell: Sussex, U.K. The effects of Sambucus nigra berry on acute respiratory viral infections: A rapid review of clinical studies (2020): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7443157/ 2021 in vitro study: Elderberry inhibits COVID-19 ACE-2 receptor binding. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7969829/ Iranian clinical trial of Elderberry in COVID-19 https://www.irct.ir/trial/46958 East Kent Hospital clinical trial of Elderberry in COVID-19 https://www.ekhuft.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/news-centre/latest-news/east-kent-researchers-trial-black-elderberry-liquid-as-a-treatment-for-covid-19/ • Subsequent reportage: https://localrags.co.uk/2021/06/26/people-in-kent-wanted-to-help-research-treatments-into-covid-19/ The Flexner report (1910): https://archive.org/details/carnegieflexnerreport/page/n22/mode/1up?view=theater Yale journal retrospective on the Flexner report: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178858/#:~:text=The%20Flexner%20Report%20of%201910%20transformed%20the%20nature,model%20as%20the%20gold%20standard%20of%20medical%20training. The Flexner report and its effects on CAM and Psychiatry in North America, free journal article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235368754_The_Flexner_Report_of_1910_and_Its_Impact_on_Complementary_and_Alternative_Medicine_and_Psychiatry_in_North_America_in_the_20th_Century Blog on the “Rockefeller/Carnegie takeover of Western medicine” http://ian-faulkner.com/rockefeller-bigpharma/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWhen%20Flexner%20researched%20his%20report%2C%20%E2%80%9Cmodern%E2%80%9D%20medicine%20faced,cure%20illness%20as%20tantamount%20to%20quackery%20and%20charlatanism. Action of Glycyrrhizin in COVID-19 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7270278/ Glycyrrhiza compounds activity https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7309308/ Glycyrrhiza – whole herb in COVID-19 review https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8020229/ Mulberry – M. alba roots contain resveratrol with anti-COVID-19 activity https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33170382/; Root bark used in TCM to drain fluid from lungs https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/morus-alba - see article by Tai Lahans in Integrating Conventional and Chinese Medicine in Cancer Care, 2007 Protease inhibitors from M.alba show promise as antiviral agents vs. COVID-19 – molecular models show they may prevent viral entry into cells (Free full-text) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8009078/ Nigella sativa – free full-text paper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7675410/ Nigella sativa supplementation plus regular exercise proposed as prophylactic against COVID-19, free full-text paper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8162633/ Nigella sativa open-label randomized clinical trial in acute COVID-19 infection https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8364675/ Risk-benefit assessment of herbal anti-COVID agents: evidence and arguments in favour of immediate implementation of M. alba, Lonicera japonica, and others; Glycyrrhiza to be used with more caution. [Full text] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7840405/ --- Thumbnail emoji courtesy Freepik <a href="https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/emoji" title="emoji icons">Emoji icons created by Freepik - Flaticon</a> + SENSORY SOLUTIONS: https://www.sensorysolutions.co.uk/