tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144363136106901156.post-13299203463165416162008-01-02T09:12:00.000-08:002008-05-27T23:25:08.027-07:00<img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Q8crdu0ntvg/R3vM_uv2jXI/AAAAAAAAAeE/IejCWr0sdY8/s400/herbs_echinacea.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150935994080857458" border="0" /><br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.alternativemedicineviews.blogspot.com/">Alternative medicine</a> means different things to different people, but generally it would include treatments that are outside of "conventional" medicine, or that which you would expect to receive from traditionally-trained western MDs and physicians.<br /><br />The most commonly thought of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.alternativemedicineviews.blogspot.com/">complementary alternative medicine</a> involves the use of herbs as agents to feed those systems in the body that require the substances in the herbs to return them to normal health. There are many herbs in use throughout the world for the treatment of a wide variety of conditions, some of which have been used traditionally for thousands of years.<br />So many herbs are active on a number of body systems, and so will include in their list of uses things that may seem completely unrelated. However, our bodies are complex, and will use these substances in a number of ways according to our own need, so a single herb can often be used for a number of different conditions.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 157px;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Q8crdu0ntvg/R3vM3uv2jWI/AAAAAAAAAd8/GMFVCK3OUdU/s400/herbs_tamanu.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150935856641903970" border="0" />While synthetically derived substances are not easily "recognized" by the body, and so offer greatly increased risk of various side effects and other problems, herbs themselves should not be universally seen as "safe" simply because they are natural. Substances in herbs are active within the body, and it is essential to realize that, while rare, sometimes there are interactions between different herbs, or sometimes they can have an effect upon various prescription medications. Also, the practice of standardizing herbs can produce a more powerful extract that, if taken to an intense level, can produce a substance that acts differently in the body. For this reason it is prudent to educate yourself, as well as to consult someone familiar with <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.alternativemedicineviews.blogspot.com/">alternative medicine guidelines</a>, when using herbs. Of particular note are the cautions not to use particular herbs during pregnancy, for example, or while using prescription drugs (anti-depressants are some of the ones that most commonly interact with herbs).<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Q8crdu0ntvg/R3vMt-v2jVI/AAAAAAAAAd0/4VPG1uFsqeQ/s400/herbs_garlic.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150935689138179410" border="0" />This is not intended to scare the public, or make you think that "herbs are unsafe." Quite the contrary, in the vast majority of cases it is the synthetic drugs that cause side effects, injury, and even death. Our only intention is to inform the public that processing methods can affect the strength of herbs, and that there are a few instances of herbs that should not be taken together, herbs that should not be given to persons with certain conditions, and herbs that should not be taken with prescriptions. One should not assume that just because it is an herb it is safe to take in any way one chooses. (If that were true, you would essentially be saying that an herb has no effect, and thus why would you be taking it anyway?)<br /><br />Standardization is generally noted on the label, and reputable sellers of herbs know which products are potentially too strong and will take steps to ensure that their customers do not purchase an inappropriate level. For example, an herb that is extracted at 2,000:1 needs to be handled carefully.GoldenBloggernoreply@blogger.com