3811 Strokes - Blood clot in his brain - Green Pharmacy

 

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Here's a quote from one of the thousands of letters I have received  over the years, written by people disillusioned enough with their ; physicians to seek an alternative: "My husband, age 57, suffered a  stroke a year ago. The doctors believe he still has a blood clot  somewhere in his brain, though they can't seem to dissolve it. He is currently taking many, many drugs, but they don't seem to be  doing much to help him. Can you suggest anything herbal he might ; take?"

That's the usual loaded question, the one that always prompts me to  remind everyone that I'm a botanist, not a doctor. Strokes are very serious--the nation's third leading cause of death--and anyone who  has had one should certainly be under a physician's care and follow  their doctor's advice. With that said, however, there are, indeed,  quite a few herbal  approaches to preventing stroke and stroke recurrence, at least the  type caused by blood clots in the brain (ischemic strokes).

Brain "Attack"
Approximately 500,000 Americans have strokes annually. Eighty  percent of  those strokes are ischemic: A blood clot lodges in a brain artery,  cutting off the supply of oxygen and nourishment to part of that  essential organ. Wherever the blood clot forms, the area around it  dies or becomes damaged, and the body function controlled by that  area becomes impaired. While such a stroke often causes death, it  might lead instead to severe disability, such as loss of the ability  to speak or paralysis of part of the body.

Ischemic strokes are often preceded by mini-strokes known as  transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). TIAs last anywhere from a few  seconds to several hours and cause stroke symptoms that eventually  resolve on their  own. Those who suffer TIAs typically make full or almost full  recoveries. But TIAs indicate a real risk of future catastrophic  stroke and often signal the start of aggressive preventive  treatment.
The other 20 percent of strokes are hemorrhagic. In this kind of  stroke,  a cerebral blood vessel bursts, and the result is the same as in  ischemic stroke--impairment of the part of the body that the damaged  area controls.

Whether you're talking about mainstream or herbal medicine, stroke  prevention and treatment are tricky, because many of the approaches  that help prevent ischemic stroke may actually increase the risk of  the less common but equally disabling or deadly hemorrhagic stroke.
To prevent the more common ischemic stroke, physicians try to  prevent arterial blood clots by prescribing anticoagulant (blood- thinning) medication. But when that is done, the risk increases that  any bleeding in the brain won't stop, thus increasing the risk of  hemorrhagic stroke. So stroke prevention involves a complicated  balancing act.

Green Pharmacy for Stroke
Because the vast majority of strokes are ischemic, most of the  suggestions in this chapter relate to preventing cerebral blood ; clotting. But I reiterate that hemorrhagic strokes are also a  possibility, especially for those with a personal or family history  of  hemorrhagic stroke or aneurysm (a dangerously dilated blood vessel).

If you have high blood pressure, which is the major risk factor for  stroke, see a doctor and have it treated. (You can also enlist the  help ; of the herbal alternatives suggested in the chapter on high blood  pressure on page 254.)

Please remember: It's important to follow any stroke-preventive  medical advice that comes from your doctor. In fact, if you've had a  stroke or know that you are at risk, it would be a really good idea  to discuss any stroke-preventing herbs that you'd like to try with  your doctor.
That said, here are a number of good herbal approaches to stroke  prevention and treatment that you should be aware of.
Garlic (Allium sativum). Garlic is the best anti-clotting herb. ; According to my database, it contains more anticoagulant compounds  than  any other herb--nine, to be exact. It is a major herb for heart ; attack  prevention because of its blood-thinning effect and its ability to  help ; control high blood pressure. These same effects also help prevent  ischemic stroke.

If I were at risk for stroke, I'd increase my use of garlic in  cooking  and also take garlic capsules, which are available at health food ; stores  and many drugstores. Garlic's close relatives, onions, scallions,  leeks,  chives and shallots, have similar benefits.
On the other hand, if I had reason to be concerned about hemorrhagic  stroke, I'd steer clear of garlic and its other anti-clotting herbal  relatives. (If you're not absolutely sure which category you fall  into, ; ask your doctor to help you make this decision.)
 Garlic  A powerful healing herb, garlic was used to treat infected wounds  and  amebic dysentery during World War I.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). Ginkgo is widely used in Europe to treat ; complications of stroke, including memory and balance problems,  vertigo  and disturbed thought processes. Many studies show that this herb ; increases blood flow to the brain. Varro Tyler, Ph.D., dean and  professor emeritus of pharmacognosy (natural product pharmacy) at  Purdue  University in West Lafayette, Indiana, endorses this herb as a  stroke  treatment in his excellent book, Herbs of Choice.

Ginkgo also helps reduce fragility of the capillaries, the tiny  blood  vessels that fan throughout your body, which can help prevent  hemorrhagic stroke. In Europe, many elderly people take ginkgo  regularly. I wouldn't be surprised if this herb doesn't soon become  increasingly popular with elderly folks in the United States as  well.

To take this herb, you'll need to buy a standardized extract. Ginkgo  extracts are widely available in health food stores and drugstores.  You  can try 60 to 240 milligrams a day, but don't go any higher than  that.  In large amounts, ginkgo may cause diarrhea, irritability and  restlessness.
Pigweed (Amaranthus, various species) and other foods containing  calcium. A six-year Harvard study of more than 40,000 health  professionals showed that compared with those who consumed the least  calcium, those who got the most had just one-third the risk of  succumbing to heart attack. Personally, I believe these results also  apply to ischemic strokes, because they are biologically so similar  to  heart attack.
Pigweed is an excellent plant source of calcium, with 5.3 percent on  a  dry-weight basis. According to my calculations, about one-third of  an  ounce of fresh pigweed leaves would provide 500 milligrams of  calcium.  (The Daily Value is 1,000 milligrams.)
You can use the young leaves in salads or steam the more mature  leaves  like spinach. You might also try pigweed pesto. To make the sauce,  prepare your favorite pesto recipe, but use pigweed instead of  basil.
Pigweed is not the only good herbal source of calcium.

Here are some others, in descending order of potency (on a dry- weight  basis) lamb's-quarters, stinging nettle, broadbeans, watercress,  licorice, marjoram, savory, red clover shoots, thyme, Chinese  cabbage  (bok choy), basil, celery seed, dandelion and purslane.
Willow (Salix, various species). Willow bark is herbal aspirin, and  low-dose aspirin--has been shown in several studies to reduce the  risk  of ischemic stroke by about 18 percent. I personally prefer the  herbal  route: teas made from willow bark, meadowsweet or wintergreen.
I add a teaspoon or two of any of these dried herbs to either hot  herbal teas or cold lemonade and drink two to three cups a day.
Again, willow bark and the other aspirin-like herbs should only be  used ; to prevent and treat ischemic stroke. They are powerfully  anticoagulant  and may increase risk of hemorrhage, including hemorrhagic stroke.

In fact, the Physicians Health Study, the large scientific study ; that ; showed aspirin's ability to prevent heart attack, showed a slight  increase in risk of hemorrhagic stroke from taking aspirin daily.  The  increase was small and not statistically significant, but if you're  at  risk for this type of stroke, consult your doctor before taking  aspirin  or any aspirin-like herbs. (You probably also should avoid them if  you're allergic to aspirin.)
Carrot (Daucus carota). In a Harvard study of 87,245 female nurses,  consumption of carrots (and to a lesser extent, spinach)  significantly  reduced stroke risk. Women who ate five servings of carrots a week  suffered 68 percent fewer strokes than those who ate carrots less  than  twice a month.
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene and other carotenoids, all members  of  the vitamin A family. Other studies show that people can reduce  their ; risk of stroke by as much as 54 percent if they eat lots of fruits  and  veggies that are rich in beta-carotene and vitamins C and E.

The message is clear: Eat more carrots. I munch them as snacks,  include  them in my vegetable soups and juice them, too, sometimes with ; garlic.
English pea (Pisum sativum). It turns out that nearly all legumes  contain genistein, which appears to be a cancer-preventive nutrient.  Scientists now believe that a diet high in genistein-rich tofu, a  soy  product, is an important reason that Asian women have such a low  rate of  breast cancer.
In addition to guarding against cancer, genistein also appears to  have a  significant anti-clotting effect, meaning that it may also help  prevent  ischemic stroke and heart attack. I like English peas more than I  like  soybeans, so this relatively new information was welcome news to me.  I  also eat lots of other beans and legumes. I suggest that you do,  too.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus). Pineapple contains a compound known as  bromelain that is best known for its ability to break down proteins.  It's a key ingredient in meat tenderizers.

But bromelain also has an anti-clotting action that might help  prevent  ischemic stroke and heart attack.
The bottom line: Eat more fresh pineapple.

Scurfy pea (Psoralea corylifolia). These peas also contain  genistein.  After four long years of searching and researching, I finally have ; data  to show that scurfy peas, consumed as a food (and reputed to be an  aphrodisiac) in Asia, contain much more genistein than soybeans. I  thank ; my colleague, Peter Kaufman, Ph.D., at the University of Michigan in  Ann  Arbor, for helping me to determine the genistein content of scurfy  peas.
 Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus). Bilberries and their close ; relatives,  blueberries and huckleberries, contain compounds known as  anthocyanidins. Good European studies show that these compounds help  prevent blood clots and also break down plaque deposits lining the  arteries. In addition, some evidence suggests that bilberries help  to  maintain capillaries.

For all of these reasons, bilberries and their relatives might help  prevent ischemic stroke without increasing the risk of hemorrhagic  stroke. Medical anthropologist John Heinerman, Ph.D., author of  Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs, says that  one  glass of huckleberry juice taken twice a week can help prevent  stroke.  I'm not as convinced as he seems to be, but these berries are  delicious,  and if they do help prevent stroke, so much the better.

Evening primrose (Oe-nothera biennis). The oil of this herb is rich  in  gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which has potent anti-clotting and blood  pressure­lowering actions. I think it's probably quite useful in the  prevention of stroke and heart disease. Borage oil is also rich in  GLA.  You can purchase both of these oils at health food stores. To use  them, ; follow the package directions.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). This is another herb with proven  anti-clotting ability. In one Indian study, taking about two  teaspoons  of ginger a day for a week neutralized the blood-clotting effect of  100  grams of butter. (But please don't think you can continue to eat  butter  if you up your ginger intake. Butter is very high in cholesterol,  which ; contributes to strokes.)
You might try using more ginger in cooking, or you could brew ginger  tea  using one to two teaspoons of fresh grated root per cup of boiling  water. Steep until cool.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and other foods containing folate. A  good ; deal of evidence shows that nutritional approaches can help prevent  stroke. Studies at Tufts University in Boston and the University of  Alabama in Birmingham, for example, have demonstrated that folate  can  help prevent both heart disease and stroke. Compared with people who  consumed little folate, those who ingested the most were only half ; as  likely to show narrowing of the carotid artery, the artery that ; leads to  the brain.

Folate is not plentiful in plants, but according to my database,  spinach, cabbage, endive, asparagus, papaya, okra and pigweed all  have ; this important nutrient, so the more of these veggies you get in  your  diet, the better.
Turmeric (Cucurma longa). Many studies show that the compound  curcumin,  which is found in this herb, helps prevent the formation of blood ; clots.

 Turmeric is a key ingredient in most curry spice blends. You might  consider eating more curry dishes or even ma king your own turmeric  capsules. Many health food stores sell empty gelatin