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| Pipsissewa combines well with dandelion and other herbs. |
| Uva Ursi or Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) |
| This highly astringent leaf is often called a diuretic, but it does little to increase the flow of urine. Instead, it is one of the most effective urinary antiseptics known. Inflammation and infection of the bladder, kidneys and urethra respond well to uva ursi, which is blended with buchu, marshmallow and corn silk to treat kidney stones or gravel, cystitis and pyelitis, a kidney infection in men resulting from stagnant urine blocked by an enlarged prostate or kidney stones. |
| According to Rudolf Weiss, author of the German textbook Herbal Medicine, uva ursi leaves contain 10 percent arbutin, its most important active principle, and 15 percent tannin. Given over extended periods, tannins irritate the stomach, so uva ursi is not recommended for long-term use. Unlike most leaves, uva ursi does not release its active ingredient when combined with boiling water in an infusion. Instead, it should be simmered as a decoction for half an hour. Weiss recommends adding one tablespoon herb to two cups water, then boiling the tea down to one cup in an open pan. Dilute with water or other teas and drink throughout the day, or take 1/2 teaspoon tincture three times daily in juice, tea or water. |
| Herbs to Help You Stop Smoking |
| If you have a respiratory illness, smoking will make it worse. If you live with a smoker, secondhand smoke will do the same. People still argue about the links between smoking and heart disease, but the links between smoking and emphysema, asthma, lung cancer and other respiratory |
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