I'm sure a lot of people here prefer herbal medicine to prescription medication whenever possible. I have had plenty of remedies fall flat, but I have also had amazing success with things like eyebright for my (previously) chronic red and irritated eyes, or holy basil for overall well-being. It just feels better turning to known and trusted plants to solve what ails me instead of grabbing a bottle of pills that will probably make me drowsy.
Additionally, herbal concoctions have been used for ritual or spiritual use dating pretty far back into the 5000-year history of tea (https://yaleglobal.yale.edu/tea-still-h ... 5000-years.)
However, I have run into some pretty scary stuff in my years of getting informed about ritual and medicinal use of herbs. For example, I went to a public lecture given by a local author a while back and she told her audience that herbal remedies were the way to go since adaptogens (which is what the lecture was on) have no side-effects and only side-benefits so they are perfectly safe. While some herbs are safer than others, even adaptogens can have dangerous side-effects in high doses, for long-term use, or when mixed with other herbs/medications. The woman meant well and had some solid info, but suggesting such things can be dangerous.
I adore plants though!!! And I will continue to try to be as informed as possible when ingesting them. The following site is excellent and contains info on any herb I've thrown at it:
For the automatic interaction checker, it does require the addition of prescription medication to check for interactions, however. An herb can be looked up on its own, though, and there is interaction info there.
These two sites are also decent and check for interactions between herbs alone, or with prescription medication.
They are not as concise as the previous one, but still pretty great.
Does anyone else have any books, resources, or anything to suggest? I am curious about using dandelion or some other tea used for cleansing, but I have to admit the warning on those tea boxes ("consult a healthcare provider", "do not use if you have a medical condition") kind of weird me out. I tend to err on the side of caution....possibly to the point of paranoia ;)
If you don't mind me adding, a lot of people can be easily misguided, so I just want to put here that if you have a serious medical condition, for example diabetes, please continue to take your regular medication. Herbs are great for many things, I like them for mental health treatment personally, but they can't do everything!
I 110% agree with you and I'm glad you mentioned that. Modern medicine is still a lifesaver (literally sometimes ;) and shouldn't just be disregarded. There can be traditional medicines that could replace modern ones and if someone does the research and is truly interested, that is something they should definitely work with their trusted medical care provider about.
On that note, if a person has a doctor that is not interested in helping them find better solutions, it might be time to look for another doctor (if possible). I don't think we 'shop around' enough for our doctors but just stick with them instead. I know I used to do that and dealt with doctors that just prescribed me whatever was most common. Finding a doctor that cared and was open to me suggesting natural remedies truly changed how I took care of myself!!! Not to mention that many insurances cover over the counter or herbal remedies, so it may not even cost extra.
Oh I agree with you definitely! Unfortunately I don't have the best health insurance, and my current psychiatrist practically hands anything out on a whim, and I have had some bad reactions to several of them. It's quite a shame. We don't really need modern medicine for things like stomach aches, headaches, heck even a cold. Herbal solutions are perfect for those situations.I only offered the reminder because of the infamous "Jilly Juice" fiasco, where a woman claimed her cabbage juice could do things like cure cancer, or regrow limbs. Serious medical injuries or life-threatening or permanent illnesses should be taken to a physician. :)
Spot on. People don't realize that botanical treatments are only really effective for mild to moderate issues, anything severe requires proper treatment. Because botanicals are much milder in their effects, they can't be a replacement for more serious problems that require stronger pharmaceutical treatments.
Even with mild and moderate cases, botanical treatments aren't right for everyone. It really depends on the person's medical history, allergies, medications being taken, and other considerations. People spreading it as some sort of natural miracle medicine for everyone are just misinforming and potentially endangering people.
Having been in the medical field for the past 20 years, I can say with confidence that herbalism has it place as well as western medicine. For those who choose to seek medical care from a more traditional doctor may I make this suggestion. The letters after a doctors name mean a lot. Some of you may know this but some may not. There are a few different types. MD, DO, ND.
MD Medical Doctor
DO Doctor of Osteopathy
ND Naturopathic Doctor
Each of these designations are trained the same in modern medicine but each focus on a different way of going about the end result.
The following article is a great insight into what each of these mean. Those of you who are interested in herbalism and their uses in modern medicine, I would suggest you look into the Naturopathic Doctor. I hope this helps.
I am an herbalist and have studied herbs and their uses for over 25 years and herbs can help in most things you may need them for but the problem is putting the right herbs in the right amounts together to provide the benefit. Much of what we know of herbs has been lost or intentionally disregarded to keep the people who need this help hooked on conventional medications who's side effects in most cases could be worse then the herbal ones. Most herbs are harmless to take and even if they are consumed incorrectly will still give you something good even if it does not fulfill the exact reason for you using them in the first place. The reason for this is because if the recipe is not correct it will not work in the way you want it to,just like in baking. The use of herbs is a science. When the pharmacist give you meds he/she doesn't just through anything in the bottle, do they? When it comes to herbs you need to know the formula just like in conventional medicine,and know I do not know them all but I have a few dozen that have been figured out and work. I have done a lot of research on the subject and not to sound like a conspiracy theorist but every time there is a discovery of some sort ,the government or the drug lobbies work hard at countering the claim or disparaging the person making the claim. In some cases this may be warranted but not in all. All I know is that in all my years of study I have seen many positive reactions to herbs and though I believe conventional medical help is a necessity herbs should be complementary to that. Many of the drugs we take have natural properties included in them and we should probably be trying to figure out how to use these herbs on a wide scale instead of inventing drugs made from chemicals that not all of us can withstand.
