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For high cholesterol - and many other issues - Arjuna and Hawthorne are helpful. Eating oatmeal regularly is considered to be good.

Arjuna
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3735908/posts?page=597#597

Hawthorne
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3735908/posts?page=600#600

Triphala Guggulu has many uses, including managing cholesterol. It is helpful in weight lost, for detoxifying in general, promotes digestion and elimination, and good metabolism.

https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/shop/herbs/guggulu/triphala-guggulu-tablets-10/?product_sizes=278

Regular intake of black pepper, ginger (root and powdered), and the herb Fenugreek which is hard to get into food without effort. I have some seeds and I make a tea, not bad.

I use all of the above and my cholesterol got better. Hawthorne and Arjuna I take daily for heart health, as I went through a period of very unpleasant and frightening heart episodes. After starting Arjuna, Hawthorne and Jatamansi (very good for heart, including hypo/hypertension) my heart works normally.

Some herbs for Parkinson’s and similar conditions, as well as unrelated issues, as so many herbs have multiple uses. If anyone wants sources let me know, I buy many of the herbs discussed here from Starwest Botanicals.

I also have a request for information about help with long term effects from Lyme disease. If anyone has knowledge or experience with this, please share.

I don’t have any experience in dealing with anyone with Parkinsons, but this is what a couple of my books have to say. I have never used Passion Flower medicinally but it sounds excellent. While living in Hawaii, where this plant grows wild, I used to collect the fruits, cut open (they have a hard shell), scoop out the innards, and make the best tasting juice by straining out the seeds, diluting with water, and adding sweetener. Children like to cut them open and just eat the inside as is.

Passion Flower
Aerial portions (ie not root)
Properties:
Nervine, sedative, hypnotic, antispasmodic, anodyne

Uses: It treats sleeplessness, chronic insomnia, Parkinson’s disease, seizures, epilepsy, hysteria, neuralgia, shingles, anxiety, and nervous tension. The fruit is rich an flavanoids and a nutritive tonic.

I use Bala in several formulas and after studying up on it today, I want to use it more often.
Bala
Latin name: Sida cordifolia Malvaceae
Common name: Country Mallow
Properties: Rejuvenative, antipyretic, alterative, analgesic, anticonvulsant, aphrodisia, nervine, astringent, stomachic, stimulant, cardiac tonic, mild laxative, vulnerary, demulcent, diuretic

Indications: physical and mental debility, chronic fatigue, muscle atrophy, Parkinson’s disease, spasms, cramps, tremors, stroke paralysis, Bell’s palsy, low libido, nervous diseases, menstrual disorders, asthma, cough, genital herpes, convalescence

In Sanskrit, bala means “strength”. This herb is one of the best rejuvenative tonics. Bala nourishes and strengthens all bodily tissues, especially the plasma, muscle, nerve, marrow, and reproductive tissues, and helps to correct disorders relating to deficiency and weakness of the body and mind. It is commonly used in the threatment of chronic fatigue, general debility, wasting diseases, muscle atrophy, neurological diseases, as well as in convalescence and the elderly.

In treating cramping and neuromuscluar pain, it works well combined with Vidar or Ashwagandha. To relieve severe diseases of the nervous tissues and muscles, such as Parkinon’s or stroke paralysis, it combines well with the Ayrvedic herb Kapi Kacchu, ashwagandha, and teh Ayurvedic compound Yogaraj Guggulu. It is also used for Bell’s palsy and hemiplegia. (I think that is headaches on one side of the head?)

It is a cardiac stimulant and tonic, increases cardiac output with less risk of raising the BP or heart rate, but caution should be used in persons with hypertension. Useful in treating osteopororsis (I’d use with other herbs for that). Because it promotes mental energy and stability, it is useful in providing relief from daily stress and tension, and combines well with herbs that have an affiinity for the mind, such as scullcap, bacopa, jatamansi, shankapushpi, gotu kola, and ashwaganda.

I use Kapi Kacchu in a few formulas, and the “aphrodisiac” effect I have not noticed, most likely as I use mixed with other herbs, and not for that purpose. In Ayurvedic usage, aphrodisiac does not mean agitating desire so much as strengthening the reproductive system.

Kapi Kacchu
Latin name: Mucuna pruriensm Fabaceae
Parts used: seeds
Tissues: All tissues, especially nerve, muscle, and reproductive
Systems: Reproductive, nervous, digestive
Properties: aphrodisiac, antispasmodic, carminitive, nervine
Indications: General debility, depleted tissues, low libido, spermatorrhea, impotence, tics, tremors, spasms, Parksinon’s disease, digestive discomfort, flatulence

Avoid taking while heavily congested.

Kapi Kacchu is known in Ayurveda as one of the leading herbs for rejuventating the reproductive systems of men and women, increasing stamina and vitality, is a nourishing tonic to the entire reproductive system.

For women it combines well with shatavari or vidari, and for menstrual cramps with valerian, cramp bark or motherwort. For men, it combines well with ashwagandha, shatavari, vidari and shilajit.

It improves the muscle tone and strength of the muscle tissue and specific for conditions of muscle stiffness, fatigue, tics, tremors, spasms and loss of strength or muscle tone, and can be combined with vidari, bala, and ashwagandha.

It has been used commonly for conditions of the nervous system like Parkinson’s disease and conditions that present with tremors and rigidity. Research has shown that the seeds contain L-dopa, an essential precursor to dopamine. This herb can aid tremendously in reducing the need for increasing strong medications. It combines well with muscle tonics and nerve pacifying herbs like bacopa, gotu kola, valerian, jatamansi and ashwagandha.