Herbal medicine

[Nikia]

I remembered a discussion that my husband and I had after the marijuana event which included speeches about medical marijuana. It occurred to me that probably most medical afflictions can be treated by some kind of plant. Whether someone believes in divine creation, all plants were put on Earth for our use or traditional evolution. In the ancient world, you had to be healthy to survive to reproduce and assure that your children and perhaps even grand children were healthy and survived. The same is true to some extent in other mammals although humans tend to have a longer helpless stage than other mammals. The way that our ancestors stayed healthy and cured diseases and controlled systoms was through the use of plants. Those that responded well to the plants effects survived. Plants also have an evolutionary advantage if animals are around them. Many plants spread pollen or seeds by the use of animals. Those plants that had something to offer animals were also more evolutionarily fit. Perhaps every cure or treatment that we need can be grown in our backyard or at least someone's back yard. I know that drug companies have an interst in using chemicals, be they be refined extractions from natural products or synthetic. It would be great if real research was done to back up the claims of herbal remedies and perhaps some kind of certification board. Humans have been using plants to get healthy since our beginnings, it would be worthwhile to verify the health benefits of things that were used in the past and look into the uses of other plants as well.

[twilight]

1. just bought some herbs yesterday from the local herb shop

I know that herbal medicine does work. I wish that herbs would be as rigourously studied as other manufactured drugs are. I suspect that there are many cures to be found, even though the pharmaceutical industry would never admit it.

Its too bad so much of the rainforest has been lost. It is the belief that the rainforests held the cures to many diseases, but now they are rapidly being destroyed.

Just say YES to environmental ethics!

Just say YES to Dennis J. Kucinich, the only candidate that is endorsing "alternative therapies" so to speak!

[flama]

2. Back to nature

I agree that most symptoms and ailments can probably be brought under control using natural remedies. The only chemical that ever goes into my body is ibuprofen, and that only in desperation and extreme pain. I use herbs and natural supplements to keep me healthy or bring me back there.

Herbal remedies have been studied around the world for thousands of years. There are hundreds of books and websites on the subject, although some are more trustworthy than others. It is my personal, and humble, opinion that we need the studies that already exist verified and compiled rather than risk the FDA putting unfair restrictions on natural remedies.

Government regulation has made tryptophan a prescription amino acid and lowered the strength of many vitamins (I just take more). We don't need the government to tell us we can't buy myrrh, a natural antibiotic, at the health food store or that we can't grow some herbs and spices because they can be used instead of a curative drug.

A doctor once asked me, half joking, when I showed up between annual visits if I needed a prescription or surgery. That's what doctors do. They operate and prescribe pharmaceuticals. That doctor knew that I was beginning to find alternative measures. He respected me for telling him when they worked. (He even took notes - and not just in my file.)

Perhaps the people who package and sell herbal remedies can patrol themselves, sort of like doctors and the AMA. (Just don't get me started on the AMA. ;-)) They know the product and can set the standards. I hope that standardization of herbals is in our future - without the assistance of the government.

[DemExpat]

3. I go for herbs too.....as teas, extracts, and dried in capsule.

I've been down the pharmaceutical road, and for my ills, it was most definitely NOT the road to health.

I take herbs for menopausal discomforts, mental health probs, and other aches and pains...

Homeopathy has been another key for me and my family's health.
My dog reacts incredibly well to Homeopathy - it helped him with his epilepsy and deafness!

I am also concerned about possible effects of genetic modification on these plants in the future....

DemEx

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Most modern medicines

are , or were originally, derived from plants. Aspirin is derived from willow bark, for example. Chickweed and vervane can be used at the onset of flu to lessen its duration. Holistic physicians are a good source for learning about herbal remedies. Mine uses herbs when she can, but also uses drugs when they are needed.