QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT HERBAL REMEDIES

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Now that the general principle of holistic medicine have been covered, I would like to discuss herbal medicine in particular. It differs orthodox medicine in several important practical ways, and I think the best and very easy way of explaining these differences in the form of answer to question I am frequently asked. I do recommend that you read this part of the blog before turning to reference section, it will help you to understand more easy way how and why herbs can be used as medicines.

QUESTION I AM FREQUENTLY ASKED

Q: Isn't herbal medicine very old fashioned?

Ans: Herbal medicines is one of of the very oldest skill still practised, just about every human culture in history has had some version of it. Of course, before the modern developments in science were made, herbalists did not know why their plant remedies worked, and they may have made guesses at explanations which now seen quaintly inaccurate (as were many of the 'orthodox' medical theories in the past). This was less important, though than the demonstration that the remedies did work and this part of the knowledge is what has been passed down to present-day practisers. Contemporary herbalist, as well as doctors, have benefitted from medical science, we understand more about how the body work in health, what happens when it is diseased, and how and why the herbal remedies help to correct the processes that have gone wrong. Many plants have been analysed to reveal their most important therapeutic ingredients. All this relatively new knowledge has been added to the traditional knowledge of herbal medicine to produce better-informed practisers who are able to benefit from the wealth of experience of previous generations. Plants still worth in the same way that they have for thousand of years and practitioners still have the same respect for the wonderful natural healing powers of the body. In addition, a wealth of scientific knowledge about how the remedies work has greatly enriched the body of knowledge concerned with herbal medicine in the twentieth century.

Q: Are't herbs really just like weak drugs?

Ans: Many of the drugs used in the twentieth century were originally discovered in plant material. The drugs have been isolated and extracted from the plants and given as single substances for their therapeutic actions.The advantage of this is that dosages can be measured very accurately, and the results of clinical trials of the drug can be easily interpreted. The great disadvantage, in the herbalists opinion is that all the other valuable therapeutic properties of the plant are ignored. Often there may be several similar substances in one plant which all contribute to the characteristic action. There may be widely differing constituents, with individually different action, that help give the plant a number of therapeutic uses. Some constituents may have a modifying effect on each other, for instance one might activate another to give the therapeutic benefit, as in Garlic, where an enzyme, released when the clove is crushed, helps to produce the active antiseptic principle. In  Meadowsweet, the possible stomach irritation caused by its asprin-like constituents is completely counteracted by others which actually make it beneficial for stomach disturbances.

       Although the amount of each ingredient in a herbal remedy may vary from sample to sample, it is the overall balance of different constituents that is the most beneficial aspect of using plants  as medicine. They may not work as quickly as orthodox single-substance drugs, but they are very well tolerated by the body and work at the body's own natural pace of change, often using reflexes already existing within the normal pattern of body function to correct abnormalities and promote a state of true health.

Q: Does herbal medicine have side-effect?

Ans: This question has taken on a sinister importance in the last twenty-five years, since a number of orthodox drugs, at first thought to be near-miraculous, have been shown to cause many side-effect. The term 'iatrogenic illness' describes illnesses that are actually caused by the process of medical examination or treatment. The effect may range from minor discomfort to very serious problem, many sufferers may initially turn to herbal medicine to find relief from the effects of prescribed drugs.

         It is very unlikely that anything like these side-effects will occur with herbal medicine. The remedied included in this blog have at least as much similarity with the plants we know as foods as with drugs, in fact, the two best-known herbal preparations, tea and coffee, are definitely thought to be at the more potent end of range of plant remedies.  Our bodies are well adapted to 'processing' plant material, we eat it every day. What is beneficial to the body is absorbed and used and what is not needed is eliminated. Of course there are poisonous plants, but these are well documented in folklore as well as in contemporary science and avoided accordingly. Plants which may cause side-effects if taken in excess are available only to qualified herbal practitioners and are not included in this blog.

           There may be the occasional cause of of an allergic reaction, in the same way as some people are allergic to certain foods. The reaction will only be transient, but if it occurs it may be necessary to change the remedies for ones which are more. Easily tolerated by the body.

Q: Will herbal medicine have a bad bad reaction with ordinary drugs?

Ans: One of the good strength of herbal medicine is that it has a role to play in the treatment of many illness where orthodox drugs are alleviating only part of a particular problem. This is because most herbal remedies work in a completely different way from drugs, rather than being a single chemical that has one specific effect on a biochemical process, herbs have a more general effect which may nourish, relax, or stimulate a particular tissue of the body. This helps to achieve a 'normalising' of the function of the tissue so that it can once again respond to the varying requirements of the body.

A few herbs work because of one or two very potent constituents, and the practitioner will be careful not to prescribe these if they are being given in isolated form as an orthodox treatment. For instance, the Purple Foxglove contains several heart stimulants, the main one used in orthodox medicine is digoxin - the dose of which in very critical. Potent herbal medicines of this nature are not included in this blog.

           Many patients turn to herbal medicine because they want to stop taking their prescribed drugs. My approach to achieving this aim is to prescribes herbal medicine to be taken alongside the drugs, until the symptoms have cleared. If the patient is then confident to try, preferably with the doctor's consent, a small reduction in the amount of drugs taken, he or she will have taken the first step towards eventually stopping the drugs altogether. It may,however,be a very slow process with serious and complex problem such as high blood-pressure or arthritis. 

A completely different situation is when someone may be quite happy with their orthodox treatment, but may be experiencing problems with minor illnesses, such as cold and coughs, during the course of it. In this instance, herbal remedies can be taken with complete confidence to treat these minor problems.    

   Q:  Can any illness be treated with herbal medicine?

Ans: Of course herbal remedies have their limitations- no one system of medicine is one hundred per cent successful against all illnesses. My personal opinions is that herbal medicine, because of its flexibility and the breath of its range of actions, is one of the most universally applicable systems we have. Problems may be minor of serve, straightforward or complex. Depending on what is occurring in the affected tissues,there will always be some way in which herbal medicines can help. The role of herbal medicines relaxation, or improving the circulation or eliminative functions. But deficiencies in any of these systems will be adding to the burden of disease the body is having to cope with. If these supplementary problems can be improved,the chances of recovery from the specific illness are significantly improved.

Q: Can herbal medicine be used during pregnancy?

Ans: Medical practitioners generally agree that few, if any, medicines should be taken during pregnancy. Even through herbal remedies are very mild in there actions, I also prefer to advise caution in their use. Do not try self- treatment- consult a professional if there is real need. The professional herbalist will avoid those remedies which are likely to cause problems (however minor). Some remedies in this book carry a footnote which advises specifically against use during pregnancy. I personally cannot recall any cases where actual harm has been done, but, as many herbs contain muscle- stimulating properties they are best avoided, as contractions in the uterine muscle are most undesirable until the last month of pregnancy. (With this in mind, also beware of laxatives of any kind.)

Many women experience trouble-free pregnancies and have no need of either

orthodox or herbal medicines. Labour is, of course, a natural function of birth rather than an illness. However, there are certain remedies which can be taken for approximately four weeks before the baby is due, to ensure that the pelvic organs are in optimum condition to cope with the rigours of birth.Raspberry leaves, Motherwort, Black haw and Ginger have been used for this purpose for generations. There is no objective measure against which success can be judged, as every labour differs in its intensity. All four remedies, however, are known to be beneficial in related gynaecological problems, such as excessively painful menstruation, where the functional problem behind the pain is very similar.

Q: Can fresh herbs be used,or must I get the dried form?

Ans: Always use fresh herbs where possible. They will have the greatest potency as none of the valuable essential oils will have evaporated- a common problem in a poorly dried sample. Well-known gardens herbs such asThyme, Peppermint, Rosemary and Red sage are typical of those that can be used fresh. Many more can be grown- fresh Comfrey, for instance, in invaluable. When using fresh material, it is important to know the correct time of year to gather it, as the constituents in each part of the plant will vary with the seasons, Generally, leaves are used or harvested when the plant is just starting to show its buds; flowers are used when they have formed, but before they have opened; and roots are taken up when the leaves and stems have died down in the late autumn.

      Growing your own herbs is an specially rewarding aspect of gardening, they will make a beautiful garden, enrich your cooking, and provide for the need of your health. In my opinion growing your own plants is infinitely preferable to collecting then from the wild. We have limited wild ares and many rare species are legally protected. Even a plant is abundant, its situation may render it unsuitable for use, plants that grow by the roadside will be too polluted with dangerous vehicles exhausted fumes and gases. There is also the problem of identification, occasionally dangerous mistakes are made when a poisonous plant is mistaken for a medicinal variety.

         Plants that are not indigenous for respective countries will have to be imported and are therefore always used in the dried form. Drying, as well as reducing the bulk and weight of the plant, preserves its properties against breakdown by bacteria or mounds, and is the traditional way of preparing plants that have to be transported overlong distances and will be cost effective due to bulky size.

           The potency of a dried herb can be judge by its appearance and scent, leaves should be fairly green and if the plant is scented, the odour should still be detectable. If, for instance, a sample of Peppermint has lost the familiar scent, the valuable oil has been lost due to evaporation.

Q: How long does a course of herbal medicine last?

Ans: The only way to answer this question is with another question: How long does an illness last? We can estimate the duration of treatment for self-limiting conditions such as clod and sore throats quite accurately. With the more serious or complex problems, such as chest infections or sinusitis, it is not so easy. With long-term diseases like arthritis or eczema, the duration of the cases will probably be months rather than weeks. In very few cases, so much damage may have been done already that complete health will never be restored. Herbal remedies, therefore may be needed permanently to relieve rather than cure an illness. 

      In orthodox medicine it is not unusual to assume that suffering from chronic (long-term) illness such as high blood-pressure or arthritis, will need treatment for the rest of their lives.

      Herbal medicine is also well suited for long-term treatment, because of its low-impact nature on the body and the very low risk of side-effects, even when it's prescribed for long periods of time. Having said that, however, I am often delighted at how quickly some apparently intractable problem respond to herbal treatment. My approach, and I would like to recommend this for self-treatment when dealing with-self limiting conditions such as colds, cough and sore throats, is to maintain the recommended dose of remedies until at least three days have passed since the symptoms have cleared.

       The treatment of long-term illness is not so clear-cut. I would say main the recommended dose until the improvement, which may continue which may continue for several months initially, has reached a plateau and remained stable for about two months. If no further improvements is seen during this time, ( and in the absence of any relapse) the amount of medicine can be reduced to two-third of the previous dose. In practice, I usually recommend that the middle dose of medicine is omitted. This dosage should be maintained for another month. If the illness flares up again during this time, go back to three doses a day. If there are no problems, reduce the dose the following month to once a day, after another month, if all is still well, try without the medicine altogether. As I have stressed before, herbal remedies provide a flexible treatment, the medicine can always be adapted to your particular needs.