Ask The Herbalist



Ask The Herbalist

Q: I have started taking an herb called Mugwort everyday for my arthritis because I read that it is anti-inflammatory. I cannot take any medication with aspirin in it because I am taking Coumadin to prevent blood clots. Would this herb have the same effect that a drug would?

A: Before addressing your question directly, I think it is important to point out the different approaches that traditional medicine and natural health take. Traditional medicine focuses on the symptom and attempts to eliminate it. An example of this is taking an anti-inflammatory medication for painful joints. Since I am not a doctor I cannot, and do not want to treat symptoms. When someone comes to me with painful joints I help them find out what needs to be added or taken away from their diet, lifestyle, and thought processes to get at the cause of the inflammation. The body then is able to take care of the symptom itself.

You can in a sense use natural methods to practice conventional medicine. Using an herb for the symptom of inflammation and not nourishing the cause is an example of this. I am not familiar with using Mugwort for anti-inflammatory purposes. It is more often used to balance circulation and works with the liver, spleen and kidney.

This is not a commonly used herb so I was unable to find its vitamin K content. Vitamin K is necessary for the formation of prothrombin that is required by the body for clotting. Usually, patients who are taking Coumadin are told to limit or avoid foods that are high in vitamin K as they can counteract the blood thinning properties of the medication. Some of these foods would be, alfalfa, broccoli, dark green leafy vegetables, soybeans, blackstrap molasses, egg yolks, liver, oats, and wheat.

The herb White Willow is actually where aspirin was originally extracted and eventually synthesized to make drug. This is not an herb to take while you are on a drug like Coumadin.

My choices for joint pain begin with the diet. The biggest vice being coffee. It is not the caffeine content that causes the problem here but rather the acidity that does. Foods that are acidic, like coffee and high protein sources, tend to make the body acid. The body struggles to balance out the acid by pulling minerals from the bones to neutralize. One of the first minerals to be depleted is calcium. Another food that distorts the mineral balance is soda pop. This puts phosphorus way out of balance with just one serving. Phosphorous is needed for a strong structural system.

Two other foods to consider finding a substitute for are white flour and white sugar. These also deplete the body of its mineral reserves rather than adding nutrition to the body. They also make it extremely difficult to eliminate poisons from the system which by itself can be a cause of pain in the body.

In most cases I would recommend adding alfalfa to the diet. However, as I mentioned, it is high in vitamin K and would counteract your medication. The purpose of taking alfalfa for joint pain is to add minerals to the body while balancing the acid tendency. Many have found success with a liquid mineral such as a colloidal mineral and aloe vera juice. Yucca is another herb that is wonderful for balancing the body’s acidity and mineral needs.

You did not state why you are taking Coumadin. I would ask why do you need your blood thinned. I can safely say you do not have a Coumadin deficiency! This is probably your doctor’s method of treating the symptoms of circulatory or cardiac problems. I would encourage you to do your own research on the cause of the symptoms.

Incidentally, I mentioned that I consider the thought process with my clients. There have been clinical studies that show acid levels increase in the body with negative thoughts. Positive thinking can go a long way. Also, you mentioned “ I am taking Mugwort for my arthritis”. This sounds like you have signed on the dotted line to be the official owner of a painful joint disease. Eliminate the “my” and don’t take ownership of your aches and pains. It makes them much easier to give away!

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