Re: Schindele's Minerals - Source of Silica?

 Just as you said, bamboo is a vasodilator...

Vasodilation changes blood flow and this could easily influence something like a varicose vein. Many people with a varicocele report that (for example) pycnogenol causes pain due to altered blood flow.

A lot of things can cause vasodilation, but this does not they contribute to varicose veins.  Varicose veins result from a loss of collagen and elastin in the blood vessels.  This causes them to lose their strength and elasticity losing tone and stretching out.  It is like the elastic band wearing out on your underwear so it does not stay in place.  Vasodilation on the other hand is simply the temporary expansion of blood vessels.  This DOES NOT affect the collagen or elastin content of the blood vessels.  This is why we can eat things like cayenne and greens, which can also dilate blood vessels, but these do not cause nor contribute to varicose veins.

As somebody who is always willing to experiment, I listen to my body and if a plant/substance turns out to be less than an "ally", I reject it for personal use. Whether that plant would be more useful as a formula is subject to knowledge of synergism/formulations.

It would be nice if plants didn't have side effects, which almost totally undermines herbalism for me (subject to more enlightenment from someone).

Do you eat food?  Food can have side effects.  So does that undermine eating for you?  Do you drink water?  Water can have side effects.  So does that undermine hydrating for you?  Do you breathe air?  With all the pollutants in the air inhaling it can have side effects.  So does this undermine breathing for you?

Life is full of risks.  But we generally  try to minimize those risks.  This is why so many people come here to learn about alternatives to the more dangerous pharmaceutical drugs and medical procedures.