Morwenna Given, B.A., M.A.(Oxon), BSc, mOHA, BHG, RH Medical Herbalist www.medicusherbis.com

We combine the art of holistic treatment and the science of plant healing properties to help people achieve optimum health

We are specialists in the use of medicinal plants and their ability to resolve disease

Our practice is based on internationally accepted scientific evidence (including McGill and McMaster)

We have the ability to treat in combination with orthodox drugs

6 years of training in University, Hospital and Clinic settings

Training includes the Western bio-chemical physician model

Additional training in pharmacology, biochemistry, phytochemistry and phytotherapy to treat medical conditions with plant medicine and to work alongside conventional medicine

Plant medicine has been shown to be safe and unlikely to have unwanted side effects

Medicinal plants have been shown in tests and trials to be highly effective and in some cases better than pharmaceutical drugs

Herbal medicine is derived from the flowers, fruits, leaves, stems, and roots of plants to maintain a complex synergy of natural organic chemical compounds

Depressed mood for most of the day, every day, for 2 weeks, anhedonia, plus 3 or more of:

Change in appetite/weight

Agitation

Change in sleep patterns

Anxiety

Feelings of worthlessness

Decreased ability to concentrate

Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

Phobic experiences e.g. Agoraphobia

Panic experiences e.g. Escape Attacks

General anxiety disorders which involve abnormal levels of agitation and/or worry

& in association with other diseases

Abnormal Biochemistry

The causes of major depressive disorders have not been clearly defined

It involves disturbance in neurotransmitters and hormones in the central nervous system

Nutritional Deficiencies

Neurotransmitter problems

Hormonal imbalances

Reaction to lifestyle/events

Other somatic causes e.g. Multiple Sclerosis, Menopause

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

Women – 3 forms of Estrogens, Progesterone, and other Endocrine hormones

Men – Testosterone, Pregnenolone (DHEA) (DHT)

Change in Age - for both men and women

A substance produced in the body from a gland (brain/thyroid)

Carried to other parts of the body to elicit a response from a tissue structure or chemical receptor

Hormones are found all over the body

Progesterone has a Sedative effect (calms)

Estrogen has an Anxiolytic effect (anxiety)

High progesterone converts to high Androgens which make people more aggressive

Low progesterone results in lack of drive

Thyroid

This organ/gland is a major player in depression and anxiety

Ontario has endemic sub-clinical hypothyroidism

The conventional doctor has no drugs for this problem

Ontario has sub-clinical levels of Vitamin D

The body has a close physiological relationship between the endocrine and nervous systems

Our emotions in the brain create peptides which affect hormones – peptides are chemical messengers

Regulated by horizontal, vertical and diagonal axes from the brain to the body

The Hypothalamus – Composer

The Pituitary – Conductor

The Endocrine Glands – Musician

The Cells of the Glands – Instruments

The Hormones – Musical Notes

The Receptors - Audience

When one aspect does not function normally, the body tries to adjust.

An unsuccessful adjustment leads to anxiety and/or depression.

Stress is the body’s response to any demand.

How we deal with it can be good or bad.

Hans Seyle (Canadian) defined GAS (General Adaptation Syndrome)

3 stage process: Alarm

Resistance

Exhaustion

Stress is cumulative and over time exhausts the adrenal glands

Artists are a small business / huge stress burden

NO clear data but @30- 20% of the general population.

Functional disorders @ 5% of the population with a known high proportion of artists

“November 10, 2011 — Creative individuals have a disproportionately higher rate of

mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and they and their relatives are more likely to work in artistic and scientific occupations, according to new research published in the November 2011 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.” Medscape

Research focusses on sub-groups & the how but not the why

General

Body

Respiratory

Genito

urinary

Tension

Insomnia

CVS

GIT

The nervous system has 2 complimentary halves:

Parasympathetic – normally dominant

Associated with rest, digestion, we are naturally lazy!

Sympathetic – alarm state

Associated with adrenaline, raised heartbeat, digestion stops

Continual activation leads to adrenal stress

Paracelus

Based on an internationally recognized scale (DSM-1V-TR)

Resulting in a differentiation between a functional disorder versus a general anxiety disorder – schizophrenia vs. post natal depression

Functional disorders involve the psyche (mind)

General anxiety disorders are somatic (body)

Usually involve drugs e.g. SSRIs, MAOIs, tricyclic antidepressants, and nor adrenergic selected re-uptake inhibitors

BUT…

They have about 5% efficacy

They do not address the causes

They have serious side effects – addiction et al

The body only ‘the mind and the body cannot be

separated’ (Socrates)

treat the CAUSE balancing the regulation of parasympathetic/sympathetic nervous system

correct the balance of hormonal activity – centrally and peripherally

ensure the body drains and eliminates properly with good blood flow to the tissues

TREATMENTS are INDIVIDUAL.

Adaptogens – ginsengs, withania, schizandra Provide an increase in the body’s non-specific resistance to damaging man made factors and related illnesses

Nervines – valerian, St. john’s wort, skull cap, rose and so on depending on the condition

Anti Spasmodic – snowball – relaxes smooth muscle

Bitters – chamomile, century – anti anxiolytic and stimulates elimination

High in Vitamin C

Effective in anxiety

associated – meno-

pause, diabetes,

bereavement

Arctic Rose - Adaptogen

Adaptogens normalise the body via the HPA

They support the body through periods of extensive stress without any negative side effects

Long / short term use

Phytomedicine. 2010 Jun;17(7):481-93. Rosenroot (Rhodiola rosea): traditional use, chemical composition,

pharmacology and clinical efficacy. Panossian A, et al

The adaptogenic, cardiopulmonary protective, and central nervous system activities of Rhodiola rosea have been attributed primarily to its ability to influence levels and activity of monoamines and opioid peptides such as beta-endorphins. (Altern Med Rev 2001;6(3):293-302)

Ecdysteroids – ability to correct DNA – extensive Russian & Scandinavian research

X

Adaptogen

Has the ability to raise thyroid hormones to normal levels in conjunction with other plants

It also works thru the HPA and balances estrogen

Increases white cells

Normalizes hemoglobin

Significant glucocorticoid effects

Anti mitotic effect in metaphase cells

Sedative, hypnotic

Bacteriostatic

Nervine

Wonderful multi purpose plant.

Anti depressant, anti cancer, anti bacterial, anti viral, balances serotonin/dopamine

Hormone balancer

Better than conventional SSRI’s 2009 confirmation for safe use in severe depression and moderate depression in 2005; 2009

confirmation of year long use safe and effective in mild to moderate depression.

2009 double blind trial confirming use in perimenopausal women in controlling hot flushes and better sleep.( in Quebec!!)

2009 Meta analysis showed Hypericum to be as effective as SSRI's with less adverse effects

Nervines

Anti anxiolytic for the GABA pathways, helps with insomnia

2008 in vivo confirmed mechanism of gaba pathways of anxiolytic effects, effect similar to diazepam. Phytother Res. 2011 Jun;25(6):838-43.

Affects the HPA, relaxes the arteries, acts on Gaba and serotonin pathways

Calms/balances hormones, helps with insomnia, anti viral, anti bacterial, acts on the thyroid peripherally

Confirmation of vaso relaxant effect on heart endothelium 2008.

Plants work better

together !!

Fitoterapia. 2011 Apr;82(3):474-80.

Pharmacological studies in an

herbal drug combination of St.

John's Wort (Hypericum

perforatum) and Passion Flower

(Passiflora incarnata): in vitro and

in vivo evidence of synergy

between Hypericum and Passiflora

in antidepressant pharmacological

models. Fiebich BL et al .

Department of Psychiatry,

University of Freiburg Medical

School,

Bitters

The herbal family of bitters combine many actions in one safe plant – anti anxiolytic, anti bacterial, anti viral, cross the blood brain barrier, hepatoprotective, sedative, HPA regulator, etc

A Medical Herbalist treats the whole body - the issue of elimination is critical for normal function

Bitters support/stimulate/correct elimination

B6, B12, Folic Acid – Homocysteine

Thiamin

Omega 3 fatty acids EPA deficiencies

Iron Deficiency

Zinc Deficiency

Magnesium Deficiency

Low vitamin D – You are my sunshine!

Chocolate!!

Low carb diet. Krikorian R, et al. Dietary ketosis enhances memory in mild

cognitive impairment. Neurobiol Aging 2 December 2010

Omega 3 fats

Food additives

Many symptoms masked the cause – dietary imbalances

Relaxation, Yoga, Visualization, Meditation

Gardening ‘smell the roses’

Recognize strengths and limitations

Psychotherapy

The compounds that I give do not come from over the counter products

Only registered herbalists may compound and use these products which are made under the same regulations as drugs

If you self treat, you may cause further problems

Please do not confuse these plants/medicine with supplements which by law cannot have medically therapeutic effect.

For a complete copy of all references used in this presentation (@15 pages), please email: mrsmg@sympatico.ca

Please note that many peer reviewed articles are based on supplements not whole plant extracts e.g. Canmat 2009

All reference material is available on Pubmed/Science Direct

THANK YOU

Morwenna Given

Registered Medical Herbalist

www.medicusherbis.com