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Columbus Polarity Center for Integrative Health & Wellness, Columbus Ohio
The Whole Herb: Natural Drugs to Help the Body Heal Itself < back to article list >
Every day, millions of people take high blood pressure medicine, an aspirin, an anti-depressant, a sleep aid, a nasal decongestant or other pills. According to Dr. P. Yutsis more than 150,000 Americans died last year alone from taking the wrong prescription drugs or from serious side effects of drugs. Furthermore, he states, as many as 50% of all people who start taking blood pressure medications stop within six months because of side effects, such as nausea, fatigue and depression. The fact remains in the U.S we take more drugs than any other country and live shorter lives!! Europe averages 46% less drug use than the U.S., Japan 80% and China 95%. What is wrong with this picture?
The reason for this difference is simple ?Having Choices?. The use of herbs and natural medicines is considerably higher, especially in Europe and Asia, where options are available to try the less invasive therapies before venturing into complex drug treatments. Many cultures use natural remedies and herbs first for adverse health conditions. Having choices is a key factor.
Let us empower ourselves by continuing to explore the use of herbs. Charoula Dontopoulos, a certified herbalist and Polarity Practitioner, will continue her chat room on herbal healing.
Last week, we glimpsed at the history of herbs. We will continue with a closer look on what makes herbs safe and effective.
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Modern medicine tells us that drugs are safer, more effective than herbs. The claim stems from the fact that pharmaceutical companies submit their products to extensive testing, often eight to twelve years, at astronomical costs, eventually passed on to the consumers. In the Encyclopedia of Popular Herbs, Robert Pinco, one time director of the FDA?S over-the-counter drug review process, explains that more than 75% of common medications did not meet rigorous standards. Of those drugs approved by the FDA, more than half were found to have serious safety problems after they were on the market. According to the same source, reactions to FDA approved medications kill over 100,000 Americans annually and injure 2 million more. By comparison, serious problems with herbs are rare.
To understand the difference between drugs and herbs, let?s focus on how they work. Pharmaceutical drugs are highly purified, potently concentrated chemicals which act by blocking processes of the body. This often gets rid of the symptoms but may create undesired side effects. Anti-congestants will clear your nose, but cause drowsiness. Prolonged use of non-steroids temporarily ease your arthritis pain, but may adversely affect your liver.
When we drink a tea or take a tincture of an herb, we are taking in the whole plant, with thousands of compounds. Although plants contain unique ingredients which give them specific effects, it is the combination of all these compounds that accounts for a plant?s effectiveness and safety. The concept that a plant is more than the sum total of all its parts is known as synergy. Synergy means compounds work together to boost the power of plants and offset actions of unsafe constituents.
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To illustrate, there is no evidence that Hypericin, the so-called active ingredient in St. Johns Wort, is really an anti-depressant. It is the synergistic effect of the whole plant that helps with depression. Ephedrine, the constituent in Ephedra, in concentrated extract doses will raise heart rate and blood pressure but this is counteracted in the whole tea by pseudoephedrine which lowers those body functions.
In their wholeness, plants work by effecting favorable changes in our physiology, allowing the body to return to a balanced state. In the holistic tradition, the body knows how to heal itself and will do so given proper assistance. Herbs are our allies in this process.
Some herbs have immediate results. Three or four cups of Slippery Elm bark tea soothe the digestive and intestinal tract and help improve an irritable colon. Echinacea and Goldenseal help fight common colds. Valerian helps relieve stress and anxiety.
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Most herbs, however, act over a long a period of time, and their strength is in nutritional value and prevention. Herbs are foods that build up our body and correct underlying problems, with less risk than synthetic drugs. Astragalus, a time-honored Chinese herb, builds the immune system by stimulating white blood cell production. A few cloves of garlic a day lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels. Ginseng, the whole root, strengthens our ability to cope with stress.
According to Rudolph Ballentine M.D., author of Radical Healing, "to heal is to make whole, and part of our wholeness is our connection to the plant life of the planet? Using plants as medicine is simply a means of reasserting that connection and revitalizing our participation ( in the planetary whole)."
Stay Tuned ? the next issues of ?Healing? will deal with Chronic Fatigue and Winter-Care. It may seem too early to start thinking about winter but fall is the best time to prepare your body to fight off winter flu and colds. We do have healthcare choices and having these choices empowers us to heal.
May the long-time sun shine upon you.
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