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Ma Huang 'Ephedra Sinica'
Ephedra is a strong decongestant that aids in the elimination of fluids and relieves bronchial spasms. This herb is beneficial to every bronchial condition known such as asthma, bronchitis, wheezing, emphysema, and whooping cough wherever there is severe difficulty breathing. In China Ma Hung is used when someone has a cold accompanied by headache, chills, aches, pains and by a chesty cough. Ephedra is also anti-allergenic and can be useful for those suffering form hay fever. Ephedra or Ma Huang contains the active compound ephedrine. Ephedrine stimulates the central nervous system and provides energy and increases alertness. A higher dose ephedra gives nice tingling sensation over the head but also the rest of your body. Ephedra acts a bit like Ecstasy, only milder in its action and less speedy. Ephedra does give the same emphatic feeling, like you have with Ecstasy. Drug companies, in keeping with their philosophy of allopathic medicine, chemically synthesized ephedrine, and discovered a new class of drugs, amphetamines. These drugs have shown up as prescription and non-prescription drugs with their side effects, and as killer street drugs such as speed. The result has been the destruction of thousands of individuals and their families. Ephedra is both a cardiac and central nervous system stimulant thus reducing fatigue and weariness. This effect makes Ephedra very popular as a dieter's herb because as blood is drawn to the above areas it is pulled away from the stomach reducing hunger. Because Ephedra is like adrenaline, it is not recommended for those with hypertension, palpitations, insomnia and weak digestion.
Use Ephedra in combination with these herbs for respiratory
problems:
Properties of this combination:
Sources: WHY THE FDA EPHEDRA BAN IS PURE POLITICS Listening to the media regarding Ephedra and the negative things they were saying I began to have doubts about the herb even though I am a Naturopath with a lot of experience with many herbs. So I decided I needed to have a closer look on my own before I made up my mind. I always do this when there is a controversy over some subject where I want to make a stand and I want the truth. I do not trust the mass media; I feel they are driven by their need for headlines and the power of the dollar. Two disturbing items that conflicted with the FDA's decision stood out in my research. The first was an FDA sponsored study of Ephedra titled 'Ephedra's Safety and Efficacy' released in February 2003. The Rand Corporation was hired by the FDA to conduct a study of all adverse event reports concerning the use of Ephedra and Ephedrine-containing supplements in the FDA's files. The reason for this study was a complaint from the Consumers Union claiming 80 deaths from Ephedra (a group with a very narrow point of view who would say because you had a bottle of Ephedra in your pocket when hit by a car the Ephedra was at fault). Because of this and other complaints the FDA wanted to know, was there a case for banning Ephedra? The Rand Corporation after reviewing all the information determined that there was not enough information to conclude that Ephedra was the cause of the adverse events in question. The bottom line: Ephedra should be used with care, and can cause minor side effects; but there is no support for it being the killer it has been made out to be by the Consumers Union.
The other disturbing item is the premature death of baseball player
Steve Bechler of the Orioles February 18, 2003 (same month that FDA
report came out). This death was the linchpin that allowed the FDA,
despite the above report that cleared Ephedra,
to ban Ephedra from
the market. When Steve died the media's finger pointed directly at
Ephedra as the culprit. Steve was only 23 years old and a
professional athlete so when I heard the news I believed that that
was the end of this herb.
From Health Sentinel - NSAIDs Even if the highest death rate (155) attributed to Ephedra were true (which the Rand Corporation study says no) of the approximately 17 million Americans who took about 3 billion doses of Ephedra per year, its safety record is impressive. Makes you wonder is the FDA really out to protect the public? Can they be trusted? Who really runs things there?
Sources:
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