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.
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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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