Herb Consults

I’m often asked if Chinese Herbal Medicines are “proven”. I’m not real sure what people mean when they ask this, but I think they want to know if herbs are safe.

To answer if herbs are safe – the majority of the time, yes, herbs are safe. However, you need to know if this herb is right for your health problem and your constitution. You need to know if this herb will affect the other medicines and supplements you are taking.

Herbs and herbal medicines should be taken within the context of your particular health problem, not just because you read that it may be good for a specific illness. You may have other health problems that an herb could aggravate.

A number of years ago, ephedra was used for weight loss, and some people developed kidney failure and died as a result of taking this herb. Western MD’s were prescribing it for their patients that wanted to lose weight, not herbalists. As a result of this, ephedra was banned by the FDA, and now Traditional Chinese Medicine herbalists are unable to use it for it’s ancient indications. Any herbal formula containing it, had to be reformulated with different herbs. Yet ephedra remains a good example of an herb that should never be used by anyone with high blood pressure or kidney disease.  Read more... (361 words, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

By Christine Hasinger,  DOM

I would say so! Most Chinese Herbal Medicines have been in use for two thousand years and longer. This is plenty of time to observe the good and bad effects and determine if they have proved their worth and value.

Historically, there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence that herbal formulas work and are effective. Remember in high school science when you learned about the monks and the peas. How different plants were crossbred to produce a superior eating pea. The monk derived his conclusions from his observations. This is similar to the anecdotal evidence on herbs and herbal formulas.

Presently, China and Japan lead the way testing in herbal medicine or formulas with modern westernized methods. There are numerous Asian journals filled with research on herbs and herbal combinations. The amount of herbal research being done is amazing. I have access to some of the abstracts of studies that are translated into English so I can remain abreast of current research.

For example, for several decades, China has been studying various herbal formulas given as an intravenous solution after a stroke (cerebral vascular accident). These patients are very fortunate in that the incidence of sequela is almost nonexistent. Sequela is the inability to speak or swallow, partial or total paralysis of the arms and legs, or the inability to control bowel or bladder that commonly manifests after a stroke. This percentage of recovery from a stroke is unheard of in the United States.  Read more... (819 words, estimated 3:17 mins reading time)