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Herbal Medicine - Traditionally used for thousands of years.
by: Danny Siegenthaler
Herbs or medicinal plants have a long history in treating disease and health disorders. In
traditional Chinese medicine, for example, the written history of herbal medicine goes back over
2000 years and herbalists in the West have used “weeds” equally long to treat that which ails
us. We are all familiar with the virtues of Garlic, Chamomile, Peppermint, Lavender, and other
common herbs.
Interest in medicinal herbs is on the rise again and the interest is primarily from the
pharmaceutical industry, which is always looking for ‘new drugs’ and more effective
substances to treat diseases, for which there may be no or very few drugs available.
Considering the very long traditional use of herbal medicines and the large body of evidence of
their effectiveness, why is it that we are not generally encouraged to use traditional herbal
medicine, instead of synthetic, incomplete copies of herbs, called drugs, considering the
millions of dollars being spent looking for these seemingly elusive substances?
Herbs are considered treasures when it comes to ancient cultures and herbalists, and many
so-called weeds are worth their weight in gold. Dandelion, Comfrey, Digitalis (Foxglove), the
Poppy, Milk Thistle, Stinging nettle, and many others, have well-researched and established
medicinal qualities that have few if any rivals in the pharmaceutical industry. Many of them in
fact, form the bases of pharmaceutical drugs.
Research into the medicinal properties of such herbs as the humble Dandelion is currently being
undertaken by scientists at the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Kew, west London, believe it could be
the source of a life-saving drug for cancer patients.
Early tests suggest that it could hold the key to warding off cancer, which kills tens of
thousands of people every year.
Their work on the cancer-beating properties of the dandelion, which also has a history of being
used to treat warts, is part of a much larger project to examine the natural medicinal properties
of scores of British plants and flowers.
Professor Monique Simmonds, head of the Sustainable Uses of Plants Group at Kew, said: "We
aren't randomly screening plants for their potential medicinal properties, we are looking at
plants which we know have a long history of being used to treat certain medical problems.”
“We will be examining them to find out what active compounds they contain which can treat the
illness.”
Unfortunately, as is so often the case, this group of scientists appears to be looking for active
ingredients, which can later be synthesized and then made into pharmaceutical drugs. This is not
the way herbs are used traditionally and their functions inevitably change when the active
ingredients are used in isolation. That’s like saying that the only important part of a car is
the engine – nothing else needs to be included…
So, why is there this need for isolating the ‘active ingredients’?
As a scientist, I can understand the need for the scientific process of establishing the fact
that a particular herb works on a particular disease, pathogen or what ever, and the need to know
why and how it does so. But, and this is a BIG but, as a doctor of Chinese medicine I also
understand the process of choosing and prescribing COMBINATIONS of herbs, which have a
synergistic effect to treat not just the disease, but any underlying condition as well as the
person with the disease – That is a big difference and not one that is easily tested using
standard scientific methodologies.
Using anecdotal evidence, which after all has a history of thousands of years, seems to escape my
esteemed colleagues all together. Rather than trying to isolate the active ingredient(s), why not
test these herbs, utilizing the knowledge of professional herbalists, on patients in vivo, using
the myriad of technology available to researchers and medical diagnosticians to see how and why
these herbs work in living, breathing patients, rather than in a test tube or on laboratory rats
and mice (which, by the way, are not humans and have a different, although some what similar,
physiology to us…).
I suspect, that among the reasons for not following the above procedure is that the
pharmaceutical companies are not really interested in the effects of the medicinal plants as a
whole, but rather in whether they can isolate a therapeutic substance which can then be
manufactured cheaply and marketed as a new drug - and of course that’s where the money is…
The problem with this approach is however, that medicinal plants like Comfrey, Dandelion and
other herbs usually contain hundreds if not thousands of chemical compounds that interact, yet
many of which are not yet understood and cannot be manufactured. This is why the manufactured
drugs, based on so-called active ingredients, often do not work or produce side effects.
Aspirin is a classic case in point. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in Aspirin tablets,
and was first isolated from the bark of the White Willow tree. It is a relatively simple compound
to make synthetically, however, Aspirin is known for its ability to cause stomach irritation and
in some cases ulceration of the stomach wall.
The herbal extract from the bark of the White Willow tree generally does not cause stomach
irritation due to other, so called ‘non-active ingredients’ contained in the bark, which
function to protect the lining of the stomach thereby preventing ulceration of the stomach wall.
Ask yourself, which would I choose – Side effects, or no site effects? – It’s a very simple
answer. Isn’t it?
So why then are herbal medicines not used more commonly and why do we have pharmaceutical
impostors stuffed down our throats? The answer is, that there’s little or no money in herbs for
the pharmaceutical companies. They, the herbs, have already been invented, they grow easily, they
multiply readily and for the most part, they’re freely available. Further more, correctly
prescribed and formulated herbal compounds generally resolve the health problem of the patient
over a period of time, leaving no requirement to keep taking the preparation – that means no
repeat sales… no ongoing prescriptions… no ongoing problem.
Pharmaceuticals on the other hand primarily aim to relieve symptoms – that means: ongoing
consultations, ongoing sales, ongoing health problems – which do you think is a more profitable
proposition…?
Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that all drugs are impostors or that none of the
pharmaceutical drugs cure diseases or maladies – they do and some are life-preserving
preparations and are without doubt invaluable. However, herbal extracts can be similarly
effective, but are not promoted and are highly under-utilized.
The daily news is full of ‘discoveries’ of herbs found to be a possible cure of this or that,
as in the example of Dandelion and its possible anti-cancer properties. The point is, that these
herbs need to be investigated in the correct way. They are not just ‘an active ingredient’.
They mostly have hundreds of ingredients and taking one or two in isolation is not what makes
medicinal plants work. In addition, rarely are herbal extracts prescribed by herbalists as
singles (a preparation which utilizes only one herb). Usually herbalists mix a variety of
medicinal plants to make a mixture, which addresses more than just the major symptoms.
In Chinese medicine for example there is a strict order of hierarchy in any herbal prescription,
which requires considerable depth of knowledge and experience on the physicians part. The fact
that the primary or principle herb has active ingredients, which has a specific physiological
effect, does not mean the other herbs are not necessary in the preparation. This is a fact
seemingly ignored by the pharmaceutical industry in its need to manufacture new drugs that can
control disease.
Knowing that medicinal plants are so effective, that these plants potentially hold the key to
many diseases, are inexpensive and have proven their worth time and time again over millennia,
why is it that herbal medicine is still not in the forefront of medical treatments, and is
considered by many orthodox medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies as hocus-pocus….
hmmm.
Allergies - Causes and Symptoms
by: David Chandler
An Allergy is a hypersensitivity to foreign substances which are normally harmless but which
produce a violent reaction in the allergy sufferer. Allergies are generally the body's effort to
eliminate something it considers unsuitable. Typical allergic reactions are hay fever, migraine,
asthma, allergic rhinitis, digestive disturbances, coeliac disease, conjunctivitis, urticaria,
eczema, drowsiness, CFS, hyperactivity in children, tinnitus, recurrent sinusitis and ear
infections. In a few people, the histamine (anaphylactic) reaction can cause muscle cramps,
disorientation, unconsciousness, and death from shock or suffocation.
Types
There are different types of Allergies, the most common being type1. When an allergen encounters
cells capable of antibody formation, they then form IgE antibodies, which bind to the surface of
other cells, called mast cells and basophils. In response to the attachment those cells release
chemicals, called mediators of anaphylaxis, among them histamine. Those chemicals cause allergic
reactions such as swelling or the secretion of mucus.
Almost any substance can be an allergen for an individual. Common allergens include certain
foods, especially milk, wheat and eggs, pollens, dust, moulds, cosmetic and certain food
additives.
An Allergy is not the same as intolerance. Allergies always involve the immune system, whereas
intolerance, e.g. lactose intolerance, is caused by a lack of lactase, the enzyme that converts
lactose into glucose.
Causes
Allergies may have many different causes-from pets to pollen to certain types of medicine and
foods. In addition, allergic symptoms may be just as varied. While no one can predict when or how
an allergy will develop, you can learn how to keep allergies under control by following a
treatment plan and avoiding the things that aggravate your allergic symptoms.
Symptoms
When allergies flare up, they may cause a considerable amount of discomfort and inconvenience,
but having allergies does not mean you have to struggle with your symptoms. Understanding how to
help keep allergies from interfering with the things you want to do may make a big difference in
how you feel and how you live.
Preventive Medicine - Ayurveda
by: Robert Bruce Baird
It should not be hard for anyone to imagine that man sought medicine to maintain life and gain
knowledge since the time of his being pre-hominid and eating plants while learning which ones
killed him. Your puppy or kitten will show this when it goes outside for the first time and eats
grass to help its gastrointestinal processes. The Therapeutae of Pythagoras who some say
developed the pentagram were learning from far more ancient insights that were being lost and we
have lost a lot of the knowledge of healing he had in his chanting or ‘Singing of the Spheres’.
Ayurveda includes the use of herbs and plants combined with psychic arts of a healing nature. The
proper practitioner includes psychology as part of the diagnosis and getting the patient to use
their own mental or soulful energy. It comes from very ancient shamanism and has many names for
its practice. This art is called ayurveda in India, and it has Taoist and Yogic corollaries.
When I lived in Vegas I grew Aloe Vera, and its Vitamin E may be part of why it works to heal so
many things. Comfrey tea is something my brother took to help a broken leg that wasn't healing in
the traditional medical approach. There are many ways to enhance the immune system along with our
natural ability to heal and help each other. 'Cleansing' auras or meridians of 'Chhi' or pranha,
positive visualization and what is sometimes deemed wholistics have been available for longer
than books or politicians were practicing their questionable arts. The ancient priests and
shamans who were corruptible became even more so as this knowledge grew. The Inca’s 'magic' and
healing may have been one of the best balances of knowledge and compassion ever exercised on
behalf of every citizen.
Can you honestly say you trust the future of gene therapy and near immortality to our current
system? Do you want more transparency or honesty? Shouldn't we all become 'informed consumers'
and have alternatives considered when they make sense? Much of what Western doctors learn about
anatomy and diseases is easily input and reacted to by modern computer and diagnostic tools. Can
you imagine them ever putting these things in the public forum and trying to engage us all in
honest dialogue that might diminish their power, money and influence? In China you don't pay the
doctor when you are sick and preventive medicine is the rule. Bill and Hillary Clinton tried to
emphasize 'preventive medicine' and ran into the same kind of lobbying that George Bush and Dan
Quayle saw when they ran with a commitment to institute 'tort reform' in the legal system.
The idea that a fully diluted homeopathic tincture might heal through some imprint left by
Cyanide found in peach pits or laetrile is just one of the conundrums that science still
struggles to face. But the fact is cyanide kills cells and results have been achieved by some
people who might have attuned themselves with that small amount of Cyanide that Japanese
researchers found in peach pits after the US researchers said there was no possible agent that
could kill cancer cells in peach pits. The implications of this extend to genetic rituals that
modern science cannot see the effects of, and other energy lattice memory or Intelligence.
There are forces in society which seek to keep certain knowledge hidden or what one might term
‘occulted’. We do need to learn to stop these shelving efforts that would rather have a
monopoly and power before seeing all mankind capable of greater things.
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