question on herbal remedy? can i ask this?

[coldfeet]

Am i allowed to ask opinions on herbal remedies? If yes I was told "Butcher's Broom" will help increase circulation. I have poor circulation thus the name "coldfeet". I heard garlic was good also.. any opinions or is this the wrong place to ask? PS.. i was a good boy today and i donated to the red cross. I think it was my 6th time in 15 years.. i should help more.

 

[darren]

If you get cold feet while hiking, then I guess it is ok.

BTW, I've never heard of butcher's broom. But you can try wearing Vapor Barrier Liners (VBLs) between your layers of socks. I have also heard of people rubbing red pepper on their feet (!?!?!?) to increase circulation. There is actually a muscle ache cream that has a pepper (capcacien - someone help me with the spelling) base. It works by heating the area up with increased blood flow. I tried it once for a backache, and it was very, very hot. I guess it would work on your feet.

- darren

 

[Doc McPeak]

The capsiacim is the compound in hot peppers that makes them hot. Capziasan is one brand name creme. My Mom (who has MS) uses the creme often for aching muscles and to increase blood flow, which is often what makes muscles achy. It may be worth a try, but make sure you don't have any open cuts (like from dry skin) or you will feel it! Also it is advisable to wear a pair of latex gloves when applying, and to wash your hands well afterwards.

Butcher's broom is worth a shot, too. I take a few herbs through the winter to bolster up the body. Haven't used Butcher's broom though. There should be plenty of research on the web to check out.

 

[darren]

I second the need to wear gloves and clean your hands. You dont want that stuff anywhere near your eyes. The package warns that 1 in 10 will have a "strong" reaction. I was (as usual) Mr. 1 in 10. My skin got as red as a sunburn and it burned (which is weird because I love hot peppers). Of course I then made it worse by trying to wash it off with water - bad move. That is when I read the directions that warned against washing it off. Duh. At any rate, it might be worth a try a home first.

I still highly recommend wearing VBLs to keep your feet warm. Once I used them I have never gone without them.

- darren

 

[coldfeet]

thx.. will check out web also..

 

[Puck]

here is a write up on broom http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/broom-70.html
You may find other sources as well. It appears to be a diuretic.
The cayenne will dilate capilaries if it is taken internaly which will actual make you loose heat.
You could try boiling fresh ginger to make a tea. Ginger is considered to be a diaphoretic and a nervine. You will be calm and warm. Don't use it if you are pregnant.
I have found extremely cold extremities to be great keynotes for homeopathic prescribing, this is far more detailed and should be handled by a professional.
At any rate if you try any herbal suplement start when you are home doing your normal routine so you know what it will do to YOU Before you use it in a wilderness setting.

 

[daxs]

I used to use capsacium powder on my feet when downhill skiing and it worked. If you try pepper products be carefull when showering at the end of the day. If you jump into a hot shower with this on your feet you will get an intense burning sensation. Vinegar will neutralize the effect so if you are going to use pepper take some vinegar along. Also keep you hands away from mucus membranes after you touch the stuff. Using gloves is a good idea. I also found that my feet got cold because I was sweating alot. I switched to a thin wool sock and found my feet stayed warmer because of less moisture.

 

[PhantomSoul]

You can also try putting a hat on, even if it's just a simple baseball cap. This appears to work especially well for people whose hair is, well...let's say a bit thinner on top.

Fact of the matter is that lots of head is lost through the head, and when your head starts to look for other areas of the body to draw heat from, your extremities feel the effects first, usually feet and hands.

 

[Raymond]

Early Winters (the original company, based in Seattle) used to sell some mixture of capsicum, Zingiber, and Brassica that was supposed to keep feet warm. I never tried it.

Back when I used to do a lot of winter bicycling, I tried to wrap aluminum foil around my toes (radiant barrier, I thought). It didn't work.

As PhantomSoul said, when your body core gets cold, the brain reduces blood flow to the extremities. I don't know if your hands and feet getting cold is an automatic signal to the brain to shut down the blood to them or not. If so, that would, of course, exacerbate the situation.