Balance Your Health

Are Herbal Remedies Right For You?

Are Herbal Remedies Right for You?

 

According to archaeological finds people have been using leaves, barks, roots and seeds as medicine before there was a written language.  Egyptian writings from about 1500 B.C. describe 700 plant drugs. Chinese texts on herbs date back to 2800 B.C. and well known research facilities, such as Mayo Clinic, continue their research of the ancient formulas. Their goals are to collect, identify and study the potential for disease-fighting agents in plants used in traditional Chinese medicine.

 

The fact is that just about 100 years ago, plant medicine was just about the only kind of medicine throughout the world. As modern pharmaceuticals became available, drugs gradually replaced the herbal teas, tinctures and ointments. Even so, hopes remain high that the chemical basis for future wonder drugs remains locked up in other plants that have yet to be scientifically explored.

Herbal Remedies Are Controversial in Complementary Medicine

Herbal remedies or plant medicines are not witch craft. The fact is many of the over the counter and prescription drugs we use today were originally derived from plant sources.

Aspirin, for example, is a pharmaceutical descendent of salicin, a chemical found in the bark of the willow tree. Today, just about 100 years after aspirin first appeared on the drugstore shelf, many people are returning to the original source for headaches and taking a willow bark extract instead of aspirin.

If you are taking or thinking of taking herbal remedies you really need to understand what they are all about because not all of them are harmless just because they are derived from plants. They may be dangerous by themselves or they may interact with prescription drugs you are taking. Or worse yet, they may be doing you absolutely no good and causing you harm because you are delaying going to a physician for your particular condition or symptom. So read on!

First, the term herbal remedy applies to any plant or part of a plant that is used to make medicinal products. These parts can include the leaves, flowers, stems, roots, seeds, fruit or bark. They are most often used to alleviate disease, detoxify the system, maintain a state of balance, prevent disease from recurring, and to support the immune system.

Some people choose herbal remedies because they believe that a product that is not manufactured and is considered natural is better than a synthetic product. Others take herbal remedies because they tried traditional medications and they did not work, they had bad reactions to the medications, they or too costly, or they just did not want the side effects associated with the drugs. Still others use herbal remedies because they hope to prevent illness from happening in the first place.

Herbal remedies are a very controversial class of complementary medicine. First, there is no required quality control and little standardizing so that the same herb from different brands may contain different ingredients. Secondly, no government agency is responsible for providing a license to those who practice herbal medicine. However, the Food and Drug Administration or FDA can remove any herbal product from the market that it considers unsafe. What's more, herb manufacturers are not required to prove, to test just how safe and effective are the herbs. They cannot make claims that an herb can cure this or that but they can make statements about how an herb can impact a function or structure. For instance, some herbal products were found to contain prescription medicines but the label did not list the ingredient.

Even so, many, many people report success with herbal remedies.

My position for these next few posts is to do my best to educate you about herbal remedies because like most things in life, they are not all bad and they are not all good.

More on my next post.

To your success at balancing your health.

Ruthan

PS If you do take an herbal remedy will you share your story with us? How did you happen on that remedy and the before and after. Maybe your story will help others. Type your story in the comment box. Thanks

Aromatherapy - Benefits and Cautions

Aromatherapy is the practice of use plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being. The therapy works when the oils are inhaled which stimulates the brain to trigger a reaction. Inhaling into the lungs can also result in the natural constituents supplying a therapeutic benefit such as eucalyptus essential oil easing congestion.

In my last post I described what aromatherapy is and how it works.

Essential oils applied to the skin can also be absorbed into the blood stream. The rule of thumb is that essential oils are too concentrated to be applied directly to the skin and must be diluted.

The U.S. does not regulate the use of the word aromatherapy on product packaging, labeling or in advertising so that just about any product can be listed as suitable. Some products on the market contain unnatural ingredients including fragrance oils and do not provide therapeutic benefits. Make sure you look at the label before purchasing true aromatherapy products.

When used as directed essential oils have few side effects. However, as with most of life, use aromatherapy in moderation.

• Do not swallow essential oils; they can be toxic if taken by mouth.
• Dilute the oils before you apply them to your skin. Some oils may cause irritation. If a rash takes place, discontinue use.
• If you have asthma, talk to your doctor first. Some oils can trigger bronchial spasm.
• Keep oils away from your eyes.
• Lavender and tea tree oils have been found to have some hormon-like effects. Used over time they may cause breast enlargement in boys who haven't reached puberty.
• Some essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy.
• Essential oils are flammable. Keep them away from fire hazards.
• And finally be selective of where you purchase your essential oils. The quality of essential oils varies widely from company to company.

For more information about maintaining your health and mental wellness, check out Up Side of Aging  As a health writer for 25 years I can reliably separate the fact and from the pure hype.  Read up on a variety of health issues.

To your success at a well balanced health.

Ruthan Brodsky

Aromatherapy - Scents That Soothe

The other day I was treated to a massage with scented oil. I was being treated with aromatherapy, fragrant essential oils that come directly from plants and are used to promote well-being and healing.

Advocates of aromatherapy market their products as being a helpful complementary treatment for chronic pain, stress, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Some essential oils have antibacterial effects when they are applied directly to your skin.

These concentrated oils are extracted from plants in natural ways, including distillation with steam or water or mechanical pressing. Oils made with a chemical process are not considered true essential oils.

Aromatherapy works because your nose is a sensational instrument. When aromas enter your nasal cavity the scent receptors in your nose send chemical messages directly to your brain at the limbic system. It is the limbic system that influences your heart rate, your blood pressure, respiration and many emotional responses.

Over 40 oils from plants are commonly used in aromatherapy. The different oils have their own purpose. For instance, lavender is used for calming. Other popular essential oils include lemon, chamomile, peppermint, eucalyptus and tea tree.

When I had the aromatherapy session with a massage at a local day spa, the oils were massaged into my skin. At home I can add oils to the bath water, burn aromatic candles or spray a mixture in the air. Essential oils are commonly mixed with a vegetable oil or alcohol base product.

Products that include synthetic ingredients are not considered essential oils. For example, fragrance oils are not the same as essential oils. Fragrance oils and perfume oils contain synthetic chemicals and do not provide the therapeutic benefits of essential oils say the experts.

Watch for my next post when I write about why you need to be cautious with essential oils.

Check out other health topics at Up Side of Aging.

To you good health,

Ruthan Brodsky

Natural Products for Careful Consumers (continued)

I’ve put the words "careful consumer" in the headline because if you use ‘natural products you still need to do your homework. Here’s a story you should know:

The state of California filed a law suit against Whole Foods, Avalon Products and many other brands whose products tested positive for the carcinogenic 1,4 Dioxane.

Natural Personal Care Products for Careful Consumers

You may be one of the many who already purchase organic foods. You know that the demand for organic anything is getting bigger as the supermarkets expand the amount of space they devote to organic fruits and veggies and juices and frozen foods, and on and on.

You may want to consider the next step – natural and organic personal care products, especially for your skin.

It makes sense when you think about it. You don’t want to eat the chemicals and manufactured by products, why would you want to put that bad stuff on your skin? On your face before you shave? In you kids’ bath tub for bubbles?

You wouldn’t. You’re looking for ways to live a balance life that keeps you and your family healthy on the inside as well as the out.

Besides, some of the side effects of these natural products could be just what you want. For instance, natural products are usually filled with antioxidants. I don’t know of any clinical studies (other than those put together by companies which sell the products) on the results of antioxidants and whether or not they reduce wrinkles or make your skin look more youthful, but they do help maintain a healthy heart and vascular system so how bad could they be!

If you feel better about the products you’re using, you’re going to automatically look better. Who wants to worry about chemicals on their face?

Besides, organic products are usually never tested on animals and that’s always a plus.

I am very interested if any readers use natural personal care products. Let us know, if you do. You can even mention the brand name.

Scroll down to "comments" and write what brand you use in the blank box. Tell us why you like it. I‘ll try to keep track of everyone’s products if we get a good response to this.

To your successful health.

Ruthan Brodsky

Writer for small business and health care professionals.

www.balanceyourhealth.com

www.upsideofaging.com

www.theagingofanorexia.com