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4A – Daily News – Monday, September 20, 2010 Vitality & health SACRAMENTO (MCT) — In a carniceria on Franklin Boulevard, Valentin Curiel often stands off in a corner near the meat counter, waiting for cus- tomers who need his help _ the mothers whose babies have colic, the insomniacs, the people with skin infec- tions. Curiel, who's in his 60s, grew up in Mexico when most families did not visit the doctor if they got sick. Instead, they relied on herbs, minerals and botani- cals _ and the advice of elders on how to use them. Residents of south Sacramento — many of them Mexican immigrants who've heard of Curiel from friends or relatives — tell him about their ailments and get his suggestions for cures. "Some of the home remedies I know about real- ly work," Curiel said. Manzanilla, or chamomile, can sooth stom- achache or insomnia when drunk as tea, he tells them. If the manzanilla doesn't work, he recommends hier- ba buena, or mint tea. Dr. Hillary Campbell of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Sacramento, said she found a survey from the World Health Organization while researching alterna- tive medicine. It suggested that 80 percent of develop- ing countries use herbal medicine. "And now most people using alternative medicine in Western society are those who have immigrated from developing countries," she said. Many combine the home remedies with modern med- icine, working with doctors who teach them to avoid bad combinations or overuse of alternative treat- ments. Like Curiel, Rebecca Gonzalez's grandmother was known in her town in Mexico as the woman with the remedies and knowl- edge. Gonzalez said that 90TH MCT file photo back then, in the rural town, even if people wanted to go to a doctor it was impossible to find one. "So part of it may have been necessity, but part of it may have been a way of life," she said. Gonzalez said she still relies on teas to help with a sore throat or insomnia before she'll go to a doctor or take a pill. And in the winter, to avoid getting sick, she said, she always has cin- namon or mint tea brewing. But the Sacramento woman said she doesn't use all the handed-down reme- dies, among them softening the pain of tonsillitis by swallowing an egg yolk sprinkled with sugar. Or warming a banana peel and placing it on the bottom of her foot to soothe a sore throat. "I am more cautious now and I probably would take the kids to the doctor for things that may seem more serious," Gonzalez said. Dr. Ashby Wolfe of the department of family and community medicine at the University of California- Davis Medical Center said a lot of her patients are Latino and many have used some kind of alternative medica- tion. It's her routine to ask every patient. "It is important that we as doctors ask if they are using alternative medica- tions and pay attention to these forms of medica- tions," Wolfe said. Tehama County Fair 2010 Back by popular demand! DAILY COVERAGE EDITIONS Publishing 5 Days Wednesday, Sept. 22 Thursday, Sept. 23 Friday, Sept. 24 Saturday, Sept. 25 & Monday, Sept. 27 Deadline: Monday, Sept. 20, noon Wed.-Sat. & Get Mon. FREE Buy Too much of an herb can become toxic, and it can be unsafe to take some of them with prescribed medica- tions. But alternative medicine can also complement pre- scribed medicines, Wolfe said. A 2007 National Health Interview Survey found that 38 percent of adults report- ed using complementary and alternative medicine in the previous months. Wolfe and Campbell both said they believe doc- tors don't get enough train- ing in complementary and alternative medicines. Curiel's training has come from experience. And the success of his advice relies partly on faith. "Not all the home reme- dies that I know of work for everyone, but staying hope- ful and positive definitely helps," he said. For depression, Curiel suggests showering with palo de Brazil, or Brazil- wood. He tells people it can heal the heart and calm the nerves just by holding it while in the shower. For people who have skin infections or gastritis, he suggests a plant called cuachalalate that can be soaked in water and be rubbed on the skin. He also tells them to drink the left- over water as a tea. Curiel treats his own dia- betes with nopalitos, a cac- tus. He said it also can be used to lower the need for cholesterol medication and treat gastrointestinal disor- ders, skin ailments and viral infections. He tells people to cook the nopalitos and eat them on their own or drink them in a smoothie. Gonzales said she believes her children will continue the home-remedy tradition. "These remedies are part of their culture and they come with the story of 'This is what my grandmother did,' so maybe it will work," Gonzalez said. COMMON HERBAL REMEDIES Chamomile USES: Flowering tops of the plant are used to make teas, liquid extracts, cap- sules or tablets for sleep- lessness, anxiety and gas- trointestinal conditions such as upset stomach, gas and diarrhea. Can be applied to the skin as a cream or an oint- ment for various skin condi- tions, or used as a mouth rinse to treat mouth ulcers resulting from cancer treat- ment. 5-Day Ad “Flight” Packages start at $150! (6 column inch minimum ad size) “…that’s equivalent to just $5.00 per published column inch!” ADD FULL COLOR Only 25% of space cost! Plus nominal charge for daily publication on Our online digital page-turn edition at www.redbluffdailynews.com Contact your advertising representative (530) 527-2151 to place your ad today! D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2995 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. THE SCIENCE: Has not been well studied in people Home remedies from the old days so there is little evidence to support its use for any con- dition. SIDE EFFECTS: Aller- gic reactions can include skin rashes, throat swelling, shortness of breath and ana- phylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. Cinnamon USES: Orally, cassia cinnamon is used for type 2 diabetes, gas, muscle and gastrointestinal spasms, preventing nausea and vom- iting, diarrhea, infections, the common cold and loss of appetite. Also used for impotence, bed wetting, rheumatic con- ditions, testicle hernia and menopausal symptoms. THE SCIENCE: Cinna- mon is a good source of manganese, an important component of a healthful diet. It contains a substance that activates formerly inhibited insulin receptors. SIDE EFFECTS: Its anticlotting properties can cause profuse bleeding in conjunction with other blood thinners if a patient is injured, menstruating excessively or has surgery. Garlic USES: High cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer, including stom- ach and colon cancers. Garlic cloves can be eaten raw or cooked. They can be dried or powdered and used in tablets and cap- sules. Raw, the cloves can be used to make oils and liq- uid extracts. THE SCIENCE: Garlic may slow the development of atherosclerosis (harden- ing of the arteries), and may slightly lower blood pres- sure. SIDE EFFECTS: Breath and body odor, heartburn, upset stomach and allergic reactions – all more com- mon with raw garlic. Aloe vera USES: Clear gel from the leaves is often used as a topical ointment for burns and other conditions. The green part of the leaf that surrounds the gel can be used to produce a juice or a dried substance taken orally for diabetes, asthma, epilep- sy and osteoarthritis. THE SCIENCE: Topical aloe gel may help heal burns and abrasions. Other uses have not been heavily researched. SIDE EFFECTS: Gel can inhibit healing of deep surgical wounds. Abdomi- nal cramps and diarrhea have been reported with oral use, which can decrease the absorption of many drugs. St. John's wort USES: Sleep disorders, nerve pain and mental dis- orders such as depression and anxiety. Also can be used as a sedative, to treat malaria and as a balm for wounds, burns and insect bites. THE SCIENCE: Studies have shown varied degrees of success in treating depression. SIDE EFFECTS: May cause increased sensitivity to sunlight. Other side effects can include anxiety, dry mouth, dizziness, gas- trointestinal symptoms, fatigue, headache or sexual dysfunction. A Clean, Reliable, Trustworthy, Chimney Company... Possible? ”Their tarps are always clean and my home is always clean afterward. What I like best is their reliability and quality.” “I can trust them!” Dr. Evan Reasor Flue Season 527 3331 THE Chimney Professionals fitness Nutrition Quiz: Portion size guidelines (MCT) What do you do when a recipe calls for a specific amount of an ingredient, but you don't have the tools to measure or weigh it? When you're out at a restaurant, how do you know what qualifies as 4 ounces of steak? It's tempting to shrug and say, "Ah, close enough." But the pre- ferred way is to follow guidelines from the USDA's Nutrition Data Laboratory, which pro- vides real-world compar- isons for measurements. Take a heaping helping of our quiz. 1. Your dietitian tells you to eat only a half-cup of cooked rice. That amounts to what? a) The volume of a golf ball b) The volume of half a baseball c) The volume of two tennis balls 2. One cup of broccoli equates to what? a) The size of a light bulb Source: www.usda.gov wallet up fist b) The size of a man's c) The size of a balled- 3. A medium baked potato should have the size – but we hope not the taste – of what? a) A tennis ball b) A computer mouse c) A paperback book 4. Three ounces of cooked chicken is akin to what? cards pact disc soap a) A deck of playing b) diameter of a com- c) A medium bar of 5. One ounce of hard cheese should be no big- ger than what? a) The fist of a small child b) The size of an aver- age person's thumb c) The size of one die (not two dice) ANSWERS: 1: b; 2: a; 3: b; 4: a; 5: b