Re: mike THOUGHTS ON EPHEDRA

[Guest guest]

Hi

60 mg of caffeine is roughly equivalent to 2 cups of coffee if I remember correctly.

Everyone is unique in their response to caffeine and other stimulants, (etc) .

I think that most people would get some b/p increase and stimulation from even one cup of coffee though the degree varies greatly.

I'd also be wary of Ginseng, Gaurana (sp?) caffeinated sodas, etc. if you have this type of reaction.

Korean and American Ginseng are pretty strong stimulants, where as Siberian (Eleuthero ) is also stimulating but somewhat less so for most people.... Mleo <leo@...> wrote:

Mike, I have nothing against Ephedra or any other herb if used according to convention. I did have an 'episode' with Ephedra, however, and decided i don't really need it at this time <G> I, being over weight by about 40 lbs, found some diet pills with Ephedra on sale and never ever having tried such a thing, decided to do so. Try them, that is. I had been using decaff coffee for some time, and man when that, i think 60 something caffien in that pill hit me i strung up like a banjo!!!!! My hands shook like Aspen leaves in a breeze! No more than what was in that pill was more than I needed ,LOL. I don't have the bottle anymore.. so can't say what else was in it.

granny lee

----- Original Message -----

From: traster

health

Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 1:48 PM

Subject: mike THOUGHTS ON EPHEDRA

thoughts on Ephedra.....

I've familiarized myself with quite a few herbs over the years. They can be extraordinary tools for prevention, nutrition, wound healing, modification of disease states, immune stimulation, alertness, tissue integrity, etc.

I have some ephedra at home stored and labeled, but have never used it.

Having looked through several dozen texts on this and most herbs that interest me, I find that it is in a class of very powerful herbs.

IT is a profound stimulant. Medically it would be classified as an adrenergic.

It might be useful in the treatment of an acute asthmatic episode, or an acute allergic state, where respiratory status is involved.

Ephedra is described as being "stimulating'' or "yang" by eastern texts. This is vague to a western mind, and as with an "adrenergic" substance can mean many levels of the same thing.

Coffee is "adrenergic" but more tame than ephedra.

My concerns about ephedra would be as follows:

It could significantly worsen an anxiety or panic state.....

It can dangerously raise blood pressure

If a person has significant hypertension, a history of stroke, congestive heart failure, etc, it could create real trouble for them....

I see it as an emergency tool that is Very Potent, rather than an herb that could be used more safely and one that is generally benign.

In an anaphylactic emergency, it could be a life saver... but it does carry the above risks... as I see it.

Ephedra is also called Ma Huang, or Mormon tea... they may be identical or similar depending on the source but act in similar ways.

I think it's a good idea generally to look at at least 5 or 6 different sources to get a good balanced functional perspective on an herb.

To me, even then we need to consider the unique sensitivity of individual herbs... to each person.

Another thought here is one of "similars" increasing one anothers effect.

Coffee and Ephedra are "similar" in that they behave in similar ways... though coffee is milder than ephedra. They can significantly increase one anothers effect if used at the same time... and this can be very dangerous... with a real potential for a hypertensive crisis.

These are my thoughts on the matter, I hope you give them consideration in your studies.they are certainly not prescriptive as we each need to gather our own information and form our own base of understanding with these things.

I think it is important that we consider ourselves "beginners" no matter where we are on our path of learning. There is always much more to understand.

Mike

[Guest guest]

traster wrote:

> thoughts on Ephedra.....

>

> I've familiarized myself with quite a few herbs over the years. They

> can be extraordinary tools for prevention, nutrition, wound healing,

> modification of disease states, immune stimulation, alertness, tissue

> integrity, etc.

>

> I have some ephedra at home stored and labeled, but have never used it.

>

> Having looked through several dozen texts on this and most herbs that

> interest me, I find that it is in a class of very powerful herbs.

>

> IT is a profound stimulant. Medically it would be classified as an

> adrenergic.

> It might be useful in the treatment of an acute asthmatic episode, or

> an acute allergic state, where respiratory status is involved.

>

> Ephedra is described as being " stimulating'' or " yang " by eastern

> texts. This is vague to a western mind, and as with an " adrenergic "

> substance can mean many levels of the same thing.

>

> Coffee is " adrenergic " but more tame than ephedra.

>

> My concerns about ephedra would be as follows:

> It could significantly worsen an anxiety or panic state.....

> It can dangerously raise blood pressure

> If a person has significant hypertension, a history of stroke,

> congestive heart failure, etc, it could create real trouble for them....

>

> I see it as an emergency tool that is Very Potent, rather than an herb

> that could be used more safely and one that is generally benign.

>

> In an anaphylactic emergency, it could be a life saver... but it does

> carry the above risks... as I see it.

>

> Ephedra is also called Ma Huang, or Mormon tea... they may be

> identical or similar depending on the source but act in similar ways.

>

> I think it's a good idea generally to look at at least 5 or 6

> different sources to get a good balanced functional perspective on an

> herb.

>

> To me, even then we need to consider the unique sensitivity of

> individual herbs... to each person.

>

> Another thought here is one of " similars " increasing one anothers effect.

>

> Coffee and Ephedra are " similar " in that they behave in similar

> ways... though coffee is milder than ephedra. They can significantly

> increase one anothers effect if used at the same time... and this can

> be very dangerous... with a real potential for a hypertensive crisis.

>

>

> These are my thoughts on the matter, I hope you give them

> consideration in your studies.they are certainly not prescriptive as

> we each need to gather our own information and form our own base of

> understanding with these things.

>

> I think it is important that we consider ourselves " beginners " no

> matter where we are on our path of learning. There is always much more

> to understand.

>

> Mike

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Hello Mike,

Welcome to our group. Very good thoughts you have on Ephedra by the way.

Very sound information and advice. I could not agree more with you on

this. It is very important for all of us to research for ourselves. No

matter what combination of letters one has behind their name, we are all

still beginners for no man knows all. I am finding out that the more I

learn the more I see I have learned very little in comparison.

Glad to have you in the group and sharing your wisdom and knowledge.

--

Peace, love and light,

Don Quai

" Spirit sleeps in the mineral, breathes in the vegetable, dreams in the animal

and wakes in man. "