Herbalist James Karon advised customers on the uses and benefits of plants and herbs, working out of his Greenwich Village brownstone and growing his products in his own backyard. James was both an avowed plant lover and a vegetarian, and his nutritional know-how kept him looking much younger than his sixty-seven years. When he wasn’t preaching the wonders of herbs, he taught music at a local public school. On weekends, James loved to sit on his front stoop and trade stories with his neighbours, or stroll to Washington Square Park and join a game of chess.
All in all, James led a peaceful and fulfilling life. Then he mysteriously began to feel exhausted, and the herbal formulas he tried didn’t seem to help. He had a peptic ulcer and a history of stomach pains, so when he came to see me, I explained to him that this might be a contributing factor. Once I had conducted some tests and examined him further, more pieces fell into place. He had somewhat elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, an enlarged prostate gland, and mildly arthritic joints. I had no doubt that he was nonetheless vital for his age and eating well, and that most likely he was suffering the normal symptoms of aging. Even herbalists can succumb to Father Time.
Because he was facing a variety of issues, I attacked his problem from several different angles. He was already taking the herb saw palmetto for his prostate. This herb has been shown to help reduce swelling and inflammation in the prostate gland. I added the anti-inflammatory supplement glucosamine for his arthritis, and flaxseed powder to provide healthy fibre and keep his intestines functioning properly. Finally, to alleviate his fatigue, I gave him supplements of tyrosine and co-enzymeQ10 [coQ10].
Oxidative injury to body tissue can be measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]. Studies show that coQ10 supplementation can improve TBARS levels, meaning that dangerous oxidation was reduced. CoQ10 has been discovered to deplete with age, so as we get older, we may need to supplement this compound to protect ourselves and feel our best.
Finally, I advised that James eat small amounts of lean meat to increase his protein levels, which might make him feel stronger. Just two weeks after he started his new nutritional regimen, James called to inform me that he already felt re-energised. Within six months, his stomachaches were gone, and his arthritis was gradually improving. Most important, he felt like he had a new lease on life. He was once again a regular in Washington Square Park, mulling over chess moves and sharing his gift for the clarinet with others.
CoQ10 & Asthma
As a little boy, Mark Sherman would sit captivated in front of the TV, watching his movie collection, so many times his parents thought he’d ‘wear out’ them. By the age of twenty-nine, Mark, now a production assistant, was on his way to fulfilling his dream of becoming a film director. He travelled all over the world to various location sites, which would have been very exciting had it not been for the fact that his asthma was aggravated each time he visited a new place with new allergens and a change of climate. He was allergic to aspirin [as some asthmatics are], but took it anyway for frequent headaches, and the result would be worsened asthma. On another job, shooting a commercial in Los Angeles, Mark experienced shortness of breath and had to take up to sixteen puffs of his inhaler to relieve his symptoms. He was also paralysed with shakiness, anxiety, and hyperventilation.
When he returned to New York, Mark came to see me, having heard from a friend that I had a special interest in reversing asthma. After all, I’d suffered from asthma myself and reversed it through a comprehensive approach to healing. “The first thing you’ve got to do,” I told him, “is cut down on your inhalers.” I explained that studies have shown that taking sixteen puffs a day from an asthma inhaler can lead to sudden death.
I offer a comprehensive asthma programme including breathing exercises that, with practice, facilitate clear breathing. I taught him these deep-breathing exercises. Next, I asked him to switch to a healthy diet of vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meat, and fowl. He started taking the supplement N-acetyl cysteine [NAC], which has been shown to reduce free radical damage that often accompanies asthma, vitamin C, as well as additional antioxidants.
Finally, I prescribed coQ10 to round out his asthma treatment programme. From what I’ve observed in my practice, this nutrient helps patient control their asthma.
Mark worked so hard to follow my asthma programme that within two months he was down to four puffs a day on his inhaler. He has maintained this success. With the added energy granted him by coQ10, Mark even found the determination and stamina to start his own production company.
