diseases 239
- Temporarily, at least, use sources of protein other than meat or dairy
products.
f Daily burdock root, dandelion root, red clover fl ower, and nettle leaf
tea will all help; try rotating them. Dandelion is one of the best day-
to-day treatments for cooling and strengthening the liver. Both the
roots and the leaves can be used.
f Use equal amounts of barberry root bark, milk thistle seed, dandelion
root, burdock root, yellow dock root, gentian root, and turmeric rhi-
zome as a tincture daily.
f If the immune system is weak, use echinacea root or olive leaf.
~ You will need to do a liver cleanse and eventually a bowel cleanse.
~ Chicory root enemas and castor-oil packs over the liver accompanied
by hot and then cold showers with the water spray aimed directly
over the area may help and reduce the bile.
kidney stones
The incidence of kidney stones has risen dramatically over the past
century alongside a huge increase in the consumption of animal fats and
proteins. Stones can be found in the kidneys, bladder, and ureter and can
vary in size tremendously. They are generally composed of calcium
oxalate. Normally the body controls the pH level of urine, and any
deleterious components remain suspended in solution. With imbalanced
pH levels or with lowered immunity, however, these mechanisms fail, the
compounds crystallize, and the crystals start clumping together. The pain
of stones, which radiates from the upper back down to the groin, is
excruciating. Other symptoms include fever or a chill, or blood in the
urine. The composition of the stones can vary; for instance, they may
contain cystine (an amino acid). If diagnosis shows what type of stone or
gravel composition you have, then a more exact diet can be tailored to
your particular needs; but this is not easy to detect, nor do hospitals have
the time or technology to do it very often, so general guidelines usually
have to do.
Often people are unaware of stones until they have passed one, which
is an incredibly excruciating experience. Where there has been one,
however, it is likely that there will be more, so start treating them at fi rst
occurrence.
- Avoid tea, coffee, chocolate, peanuts, rhubarb, Swiss chard, spinach,
tomatoes, strawberries, and beet, as well as any other foods contain-
ing oxalic acid.
239 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition