The first article you linked to discusses 7 patients (all of whom had hepatitis B) that had liver failure co-incidental to taking herbal medicines. (39 other patients with hepatitis had liver failure in the absence of taking herbs). Only 1 of those 7 took a medicine with Polygonum, and that medicine was shown to be contaminated with N-nitrosfenfluramine, which the article said "is known to be highly hepatotoxic". So is that a smoking-gun on the dangers of Polygonum? I think not. The other two articles you linked to discussed correlations between taking other patent medicines that included Polygonum and several other herbs. It is true that Polygonum contains anthraquinones, and in larger doses, these can theoretically have a negative effect on the liver. It should also be pointed out that rhubarb, senna and aloe vera latex can contain even more anthraquinones than polygonum. If someone is taking enough Polygonum (or rhubarb) to see a laxative effect, that ~might~ affect their livers - if they are unusually sensitive to the ingredient and have an idiosyncratic reaction, if they take it for a prolonged period of time, or if the liver is already weakened by hepatitis. A variety of anthraquinone-laden senna laxatives are to be found in virtually every drugstore in the United States, and they appear in the OTC medicine section, not in the supplement section. They are widely recommended by doctors. The FDA could take action if it thought that the risk was substantial. Yet they haven't, and none of the mainstream medical websites seem to be concerned about senna and the liver - even though millions of Americans consume it every year. They express justifiable concerns that people not become dependent on such stimulant laxatives, that they seek attention if the problem doesn't resolve itself or if there is severe abdominal pain, etc. But nowhere did I see doctors identifying liver conditions as a counter-indication for using senna, even though it contains the same 'hepatotoxic' chemicals as polygonum. This special caution is reserved for things labeled alternative or foreign. Hmm... There are anthraquinones in vegetables, such as cabbage and lettuce; beans are particularly high in them. And there is rhubarb, which I shall continue eating. Caution might be in order for some individuals, but the overall risk appears to be quite low.

Hello Glenda. Regarding the nightcrawlers, the best and tastiest ones, I find, are always on the bottom. I need to clear out the crowd to get to these more choice morsels. Having an enjoyable game of worm-toss breaks up the monotony of not having to dodge cats or be on the look-out for hawks. We do have toys, like several lattice balls with a bell inside each one. After a good feed, and poop, Bub and I will have a few rounds with the bells or some of the gifts Olive gave us. The Red Robin Cross has ensured that I am getting cherries daily. The daily rations change but cherries and blueberries are always provided. Cherries, blueberries, strawberries, cactus fruit (YUMMY treat), raspberries, pear, apples, assortment of grape varieties, apricot, banana, plum, peaches, watermelon, honeydew melon. There has also been several offerings of the fruit from the Mountain Ash tree, crabapples and when available holly berries. Bean sprouts and alfalfa sprouts sometimes garnish the rations. The cooked pasta dishes are very welcome. (Did I say that?) It is a mix of pastas, cookd veggies and fruit that is also provided for Olive and the other captives. Krazy Korn I believe is the product. There is another warm cereal mix that Bub enjoys eating but I find it a pleasant foot warmer. The mealworms and wax worms seem to be of equal quality and one doesn't need to get to the ones on the bottom first. They are all delicious and placed in several ration bowls so we all get our fill without competition. Olive mentioned I was looking a little round a while ago but since I have been working out I have trimmed up a little and am looking good. She even whistled the other day when she saw me. She is quite the hen! I have told her a match between up would not work but she has her hopes. Gotta go and throw some worms out. The small human should be here soon. Thanks for your concern, Glenda. Are you with the Red Cross or the Red Robin Cross? Barry

I had a total hysterectomy at the age of 36 due to an ovarian cycst the size of a grapefruit. (It had become that large in a matter of 3 weeks). They had prepared us for it being cancerous but luckily it was not. When they opened me up, I also had endometrosis everywhere. They literally had to scrape all my internal organs and even removed my appendix. I had already had uteral surgery to help me get pregnant and a C-section with the smiley shaped incision but they had to do a huge incision that goes from above my belly button all the way down to you know what! It kinda looks like an anchor with both incisions. Let me say this was way back in 1986 so alot has changed since then. I took estrogen and progestone for a few years then dropped it to just estrogen. I stoppped that about 10 years ago now and my biggest complaint is that everything on me is dry. I have tried the creams and stuff but nothing seems to work. Hot flashes come and go but overall that isn't my main issue. I still have paps done every three years - its actually more of the lining of course but you should still be checked for endometrial cancer. The estrogen threat is not just for the ovarian cancer but also breast. It was actually my husband who suggested I talk with my doctor about stopping the estrogen as it was being discussed among the doctors at the cancer center where he works in Radiation Therapy. As I said that was 10 years ago or more. So much depends on your age - I was so young at the time, the hormones were basically a necessity but now I am glad I have stopped them.

I've kept quiet about what's going on. Hubby had 5 more sessions of radiation directed on his L-2 vertebrae. It's fractured because his bones are weakened.......his cancer has spread to his bones. It seems that prostate cancer often comes back in another form of cancer.......in the organs or the bones. Organs are more difficult to treat, because obviously the cancer can jump around. Hopefully the bones are easier to treat. We've met with the chemo doc a few weeks ago and we have a follow-up app't with him next week now that the radiation is over. Hubby is to start (not sure when) oral chemotherapy, and injections.........neither of which are covered by our provincial health care. The hospital is going to see if we can get coverage; they're going to apply to see if the government will cover all or some of it (it's in the thousands of dollars/month). This is a huge sore point with me. I'd love my tax dollars to fund life-saving cancer treatments of all kinds; but the government feels it's more important that if I wanted to change from "Jane to John" that is fully covered, IVF is completely covered, and abortion pills are provided free of charge to anyone who wants them. ETA: people 65+ are covered by our provincial healthcare. We're under 65