Categories: Alternative Medicine

How to Use Cat’s Claw Herb

The queen herb of healing is the Cat’s Claw herb. This herb is a vine that is found growing around trees in the Amazon Rainforest. The distinguishing feature of the Cat’s Claw herb is the thorny hooks that grow out of the vine and attach themselves to the bark of trees. Flowers of Cat’s Claw are yellow and dry and the leaves are elliptical. This plant is considered the queen of healing among the Amazonians, Peruvians and several Indian tribes.

Cat’s Claw is used to treat a number of complaints and illnesses. The Peruvians drink Cat’s Claw as a tea throughout the day for several days to several months depending on what the herb is treating. Cat’s Claw has helped those suffering from digestion problems, HIV symptoms, gout, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, hay fever, multiple sclerosis and more.

The Cat’s Claw herb can be taken as a vitamin supplement in a pill or capsule like form. It can be made into a tea in is herbal form. The Peruvians who use it often make their tea with the inner bark of the Cat’s Claw vine boiled in a liter of water for 30 to 60 minutes depending on how strong it is needed to be. Since it is not native to American soil the best place for getting Cat’s Claw is your local herb and organic shop. You can also purchase specialty teas from tea shops world-wide that include the ingredient Cat’s Claw.

To eliminate or reduce minor health problems such as stress, blood pressure, pain, vision problems, varicose veins, psoriasis, PMS, high cholesterol, TMJ, sinus infections, throat infections, ear infections and more with Cat’s Claw use it in a simple herb form or a supplemental form. The herb form should be measured in grams. Using approximately 10 grams per liter of water for 2-3 cups of tea a day will help ease these problems and symptoms. In a supplemental form 1-3 500mg capsules can be taken 3-4 times a day.

The tea made from Cat’s Claw can also be used as an Eye Rinse for eye infections. The powdered form of the capsules can be rubbed in between toes and on the soles of feet to help ease the symptoms of Athlete’s Foot. This herb should not be used primarily to treat serious illness. Ask your health care provider if it can be used as an alternative or in conjunction with medicines you may already be taking.

Pregnant women should steer clear of this herb as Cat’s Claw is used in many Indian cultures to prevent pregnancy. Only use this herb with permission from your health care specialist. If you have an allergic reaction to plants you are also cautioned not to use this herb. Used properly Cat’s Claw is an effective herb for treating and helping to reduce symptoms that life throws our way.