Subject: Strengthen Muscles in Muscular Dystrophy
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Name not given
Posted on: January 17, 2001
I would like to know what herbs can cure weakened muscles? A friend of mine has muscular dystrophy.
Muscular dystrophy is a progressive disease that destroys muscle tissue. There is no herbal cure for the disease, but nutrition and herbs can help.
Muscular dystrophy appears to be associated with a deficiency of vitamin E, required for muscle formation, and a deficiency of the nerve supply to the muscles. Vitamin B6 is important for nerve and muscle help.
Good food sources of the B vitamins and vitamin E are raw wheat germ, freshly ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and dark green leafy vegetables. Other important vitamins for muscle health are B12, A and C. Vitamin A is high in orange vegetables such as carrots and squash. Fresh citrus fruit is a good sources of vitamin C. The mineral selenium, available in whole grains, meat, egg yolks and onions, is important in promoting healing. All of these vitamins and minerals can be taken as nutritional supplements to augment the diet, but the fresh food sources are important. If using supplements, a health food store can recommend a good brand. Siegfried Gursche, in "Encyclopedia of Natural Healing" (Alive Publishers, Canada, (800) 663-6580 or Natural Life Publishing Inc., U.S. (800) 663-6513), states "Studies done on people with muscular dystrophy indicate that it is helpful to balance many vitamins and trace minerals, especially selenium and vitamin E. Supplementing this vitamin has improved the condition in several cases, and helped it from progressing further in others."
Thomas Bartram, in "Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine" (available at Richters), states that "Herbs contain vital complexes of many minerals which may arrest progress the disease." and suggests teas made of Plantain, Alfalfa, Plantain and Fenugreek seeds, and tablets or capsules of Alfalfa, Kelp, Irish Moss, Saw Palmetto and Damiana. Bartram suggests bananas for potassium and Oats. Oats, taken as porridge or oat straw tea, is nerve nourishing.
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