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Are Herbal Remedies The Answer?


It seems that almost every day we come across a story in a newspaper or magazine which raises concerns about the use, misuse, or overuse of a particular pharmaceutical remedy in the treatment of minor ailments, or serious medical conditions. Often these stories are quickly discredited as being ill-informed or based on insufficient evidence, perhaps medical opinion is divided, or particular experts in the field prefer to wait for an extended period of time, maybe years, in order to ascertain the safety, or otherwise of these commonly used remedies. This is not to criticise medical science, or its practitioners, who must rely on objective and statistically valid evidence before giving an expert opinion. However, it is little wonder that many of us turn to herbal remedies, either as a supplement, or as an alternative to manufactured pharmaceutical products. There is a reassurance in that simple word "herbal", taking us back to simpler times, when there was little choice in how to treat our day to day bodily malfunctions, aches and pains and we made use of what was available to us, perhaps in our own back gardens!

Are herbal remedies the answer? Surely if they have been in use since men and women first walked on the Earth they must be both effective and safe? The answer to this, as to many questions, is "Yes" and "No", or even "Well it's not as simple as that." In the past, herbal remedies were often administered or recommended by one particular person in the neighbourhood, frequently a woman, (probably regarded as a witch), who was an expert in her field. This person would have studied and learned, by trial and error, about the efficacy and safety (or otherwise) of the product she was supplying. Herbal remedies may be natural, but that does not make them safe and we need to be well informed about the optimum dosage as well as about possible side effects and what are called "contra-indications" in the medical profession. After all, before a doctor prescribes a drug to you, s/he will refer to your medical history and question you about your lifestyle. We need to be equally cautious in self-prescribing, and take advantage of information and advice that is available to us from reliable sources.

Should herbal remedies be regarded as an alternative, or a complementary supplement to conventional medicine? We need to use our common sense in this matter. If a herbal product appears to be effective in treating a minor condition, then by all means use it instead of resorting to a manufactured product, with possibly dubious side effects. As regards more serious and even life threatening conditions, it seems unwise to reject the offerings of modern science, which for the most part have a proven record in alleviating suffering and prolonging life, whether or not they also cause undesirable side-effects. Herbal remedies may in these cases be used in a complementary way, if this is appropriate. Let us also not forget that many widely used conventional medications are based on a herbal product, (aspirin and digitalis to name just two), so we may be using a herbal based product without being aware of it. Herbal and conventional pharmaceutical remedies are not always mutually exclusive.

As in most areas of our daily lives, we need to obtain as much reliable information on this subject as we can, in order to make informed and intelligent choices, should the need arise.

Jon Davis provides free advice & information on herbal remedies at http://www.HealthyHerbalRemedy.com




Doctors in for a dose of alternative medicine
The Age, Australia - 13 hours ago
It gives me a sense that I'm in the right place, somewhere between alternative medicine and Western," he told an interviewer. ...
GP training to include the fringe alternatives The Age
all 5 news articles


Luna Awarded $3.9M for Nanotechnology Applications in Medicine and ...
Small Times - 14 hours ago
Demonstrations of the commercial viability of proposed nanotechnologies will include diagnostics and therapeutics for military medicine and alternative ...


Communication Key to Blending Eastern and Western Medicine
RedOrbit, TX - Jun 30, 2008
Yet alternative medicine is finding its place in health care. "There are some things that Western medicine just can't fix," Evans said. ...


International Conference in Holguín Promotes Natural Alternative ...
Radio Nuevitas, Cuba - Jun 26, 2008
Sixty academia studies are to be presented at the conference, which takes place near a flagship alternative medicine hospital in Holguín. ...


Orthodox, natural medicines and holistic healthcare
BusinessDay, Nigeria - Jul 3, 2008
There are also quacks in orthodox/conventional medicine because certificate does not make a graduate, but they are more in traditional/alternative/herbal ...


Telegraph.co.uk

Complementary medicine: seeking out alternatives
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Jun 10, 2008
Alternative therapists now outnumber GPs in the UK, universities run courses on alternative medicine and the industry receives £500 million a year from the ...
Alternative therapies put to the test Telegraph.co.uk
all 2 news articles


NewsReleaseWire.com (press release)

Alternative Medicine Solutions Markets Naringenin, Grapefruit ...
NewsReleaseWire.com (press release) - Jun 24, 2008
Lloyd Wright, CEO of AMS Inc. and author of “Triumph Over Hepatitis C: An Alternative Medicine Solution,” is currently the only one in the world marketing a ...


Physician and Patient Attitudes towards Complementary and ...
7thSpace Interactive (press release), NY - Jun 26, 2008
In the US, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is most prevalent among reproductive age, educated women. We sought to determine general ...


CROW externs head home with a wealth of wildlife knowledge
Island Reporter, FL - Jul 2, 2008
Having never had experience with alternative medicine such as the Chinese herbs that the CROW staff use, he is convinced they may be more beneficial in the ...


What energy medicine can do for you
Vail Daily News, CO - 21 hours ago
Energy medicine asks us to look within. There are many alternative practitioners who treat the whole person with energy medicine. There are acupuncturists ...

alternative medicine - Google News

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