Herbal Medicines: What You Should Know
For thousands of years humans from all inhabited continents have used herbs as remedies for a variety of ailments. What is often deemed “alternative medicine” has, for most of human history, been the medicine of choice. If you’re looking to get started on your healthful journey by incorporating herbs into your daily routines, here are some tips.
Ask Our Experts Questions
Some people believe that products labeled “natural” or “all natural” are completely safe and good for them. This is not necessarily true because the safety of herbs depends on many things, including a plant’s chemical makeup, how it works in the body, how it is prepared, and the amount used.
The effects of botanicals range from mild to powerful. A botanical with mild effect might have subtle results. Chamomile, for example, is usually put in teas to help with relaxation and is generally considered safe for most people.
Also, some botanicals that are mild may need to be taken for weeks or months before their full effects are felt. For example, valerian might help people sleep better after a few weeks of use, but just one dose is rarely effective and we never suggest taking one herb at at time- this is not effective herbal medicine and leads to imbalance of properties in your biochemistry. On the other hand, a powerful botanical that is well balanced and complex, produces a fast result. Green tea (a natural source of caffeine), for example, can have strong and immediate stimulant effects.
The dose and form of herbal medicines and their preparation also play important roles in its safety. Teas, tinctures, and extracts have different strengths from one another. For example, peppermint tea is generally considered safe to drink, but peppermint oil is much more concentrated and can be toxic if used incorrectly. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s suggested directions for using a botanical and do not exceed the recommended dose unless your health care provider, who has a license in natural medicine, directs otherwise.
It’s helpful to receive guidance on the use of certain herbs from an expert: don’t be afraid to ask us questions before taking herbal medicine. We at Eagle Acupuncture are experts in Chinese medicine and can help guide and support you through your particular ailment or disease. We offer telemedicine to guide the most challenging health problems and suggest herbal medicine for anything from chronic headaches, migraines, to IBS or Crohn's disease, infertility, anovulation, PCOS, endometriosis, seasonal allergies, chronic pain, peri-menopause that includes hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain, mood swings, depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic UTI's or yeast infections, urinary urgency, pressure or incontinence, low energy, low sex drive to repeated miscarriage.
Be Wary of Ordering Online Products
We cannot stress this enough. We offer discounted, safe vitamins and herbal medicine to our patients, their friends and their family. Please email or call us to be added to our private, safe, online store. Ordering online can be risky due to fraud and potential contamination with other products including cheap pharmaceuticals or sheetrock. SHEETROCK and DRUGS! Laboratory tests have revealed that health products bought online may contain banned and dangerous additives. Some herbal supplements, especially those imported from Asian countries, may contain high levels of heavy metals, including lead, mercury, and cadmium. There have also been instances of counterfeit medicines containing no or wrong active ingredients, or expired products being sold to consumers.
The Good News About Herbal Supplements and How to Move Forward
Again, humankind has been using herbs as medicine and healthcare for ages. Researchers have found that people in different parts of the world tended to use the same or similar plants for the same purposes. Even drug companies try and figure out what component in nature is effective for diseases and turn them into drugs. Chinese herbal medicine is rooted in the concept of pattern differentiation and has one of the most elegant, sophisticated and effective method of healing complicated diseases with natural medicine.
Pattern differentiation involves identifying a person’s head-to-toe collection of signs and symptoms. The balance of the herbs is the key to complicated disease differentiation and healing. Having an understanding of key chemistry concepts that are relevant to herbal formulation is important. Having an expert Herbalist as part of your healthcare team is important. At Eagle Acupuncture, we are experts in multiple modalities including: acupuncture, personalized Chinese herbal medicine manufactured and tested in the U.S. only and functional medicine supplements. We have 5,500 hours of training, are board certified in herbal medicine and licensed. This is a huge deal resulting in over 6 years of education and 24 years in practice. Making an appointment with us is the best first step!
For The Road
We hope you found the information about herbal medicine beneficial. If you would like to know more about this or any of our excellent services, we are happy to help. Just contact us and we can go over your options and help you find the best path for your health and fertility goals. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation for acupuncture, herbal medicine, functional medicine, supplements or lifestyle modifications, please reach out to us HERE. We offer telemedicine for those who are not within driving distance from our office.