| |  | | Herbal Help for Alcoholics
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Kathy
Posted on: April 6, 1998
I am inquiring about any herbs that help alcoholics in any way.
Thomas Bartram in "Encyclopaedia of Herbal Medicine" (Grace Publishers, Mulberry Court, Stour Road, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1PS, England) states that alcohol abuse results in increased fat in the liver, leading to inflammation of the liver tissue and d estruction of cells. He refers to a study that shows that Oil of Evening Primrose improves brain function in cases of withdrawal and that Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum) helps liver detoxification by helping with the digestion of fats that will help to d ecrease the destruction of the liver.
The Herb Book, by John Lust, (available at Richters) names 11 herbs that have been used in alcoholism, including Cayenne, Feverfew, Mother of Thyme and Red Currant.
Raw foods may help. Mevyn Werbach, in Nutritional Influences on Illness (Third line Press, 4751 Viviana Drive, Suite 102, Tarzana, California, 91356, USA) lists an experimental study where 80% of a group of 32 spontaneously abstained from smoking and alc ohol after increasing their consumption of raw food to 62% of their diet for a mean of 6.7 months.
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