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Self Care Health- Herbal Remedies
HERBAL REMEDIES: A NEW & DANGEROUS BREED?
By Edel Jarboe
Open your kitchen pantry and chances are you will find a multitude of home remedies at your fingertips. Ginger, chamomile, lemon, and honey are common household ingredients that can help heal you and your family. Got a headache? Try the spice turmeric. Constipated? Add a little honey and lemon to your favorite hot tea. But garden-variety home remedies aren't cutting it with Americans anymore. In the past few years, food and vitamin companies have been adding new and more powerful herbs to just about everything.
Natural herbal remedies aren't just in vitamins anymore. They are taking America by storm and can be found in juices, potato chips, soda, and soups. Touted as dietary supplements and not as food per se, many labels for these products state that the daily nutritional value has not been established. Legally this is all that they really can say. Labels for dietary supplements can promote health benefits, but cannot claim to actually cure or treat a disease. And since herbs are treated like food, food and vitamin companies are able to market these new super foods without rigorous testing and without the approval of the Federal Drug Administration. The FDA can only recall a product after it has been found to be dangerous.
The information available on dietary supplements is often contradictory and confusing. Results from a study published in the Phytomedicine Journal stated that Echinacea is safe for oral use while another study conducted by the Oregon Health Science University found this newly popular ingredient to be ineffective in preventing colds. So, what good is safe if it isn't effective? Are natural herbal supplements the modern equivalent of snake oil? Unfortunately, we won't know until more studies and research has been done. In the meantime, keep in mind that there are no guarantees of the safety or effectiveness for this new breed of natural herbal remedies.
Nonetheless, these unsubstantiated claims and inconclusive studies are adding up to a $3.5 billion a year industry for food and vitamin companies. And while medical experts agree that there needs to be more effective regulation, the FDA has only recently been able to take small steps in this direction. The Dietary Supplement Law, which went into effect on March 23, 1999, requires companies to list the serving size, full ingredients, proper storage information, the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor, and a children's warning on dietary supplement labels. But what is missing is information recommended dosage and about possible side effects. How much is too much? What is the safe level of dosage for these natural healers, especially if you have a chronic condition? Which ones are okay to consume daily and which ones should be used sparingly? And how do you know?
And even if studies do show that natural herbs have actual health benefits, the side effects are not widely known. According to a recent article in Consumer Reports, DHEA (anti-aging) may increase the risk of breast and prostrate cancer. Gingko Biloba (mental clarity) should be avoided if you are taking blood thinner medication, Kava Kava (mood) may cause gastrointestinal problems, and St. John's Wort (depression) may cause dizziness, dry mouth, and increased sensitivity to sunlight. Moreover, studies have shown that Echinacea (cold prevention) may stimulate immunity problems and Saw Palmetto (enlarged prostrate) and Feverfew (colds) can cause stomach upset. These are important considerations to make when choosing a new medical remedy. And that is precisely what you are doing, choosing a medication. We sometimes forget that natural herbs form the basis of many modern synthetic drugs and that herbs are indeed medicine. Moreover, natural herbal remedies should not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Practice common sense when taking alternative health treatments and inform your doctor if you are on a treatment plan. As with conventional medicine, not all things work on all people the same way. Even though these remedies are natural, they are still capable of causing an adverse reaction and may not mix well with other medications. Be smart about your health and find out all you can about the natural chemicals that you are putting into your body. Just because it's natural, doesn't mean that it is safe.
Many cultures relied on the healing properties of their native plants to cure diseases and as such they are the basis of both Eastern and Western medicine. Centuries later, we are once again paying attention to our natural world in order to cure our ills. Why this return to nature for answers? There seems to be a societal trend of the return to the basics in these pre-millennium times. From simpler living to a focus on the family, Americans are searching for something that makes sense to them. As we teeter on the verge of a new millennium, this return to nature for simple solutions is not surprising. It is like a candle in the darkness, but just be careful not to burn yourself.
Copyright (c) 1999 by Edel Jarboe. All Rights Reserved.
------------------------------------------------------------ About the Author: Edel Jarboe is the founder of Self Help for Her.com (http://www.selfhelpforher.com), an online self-help magazine helping you create your better life. She also publishes a free weekly newsletter, which features advice on goal setting, stress management, coping with difficult people, and overcoming obstacles: Subscribe (mailto:subscribe@selfhelpforher.com) and receive a FREE stress report.
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