Herbal therapy employs the use of mother nature’s pharmacy to help prevent disease, slow the process of a disease or even encourage the body to heal from a specific disease.
What are the benefits of herbals over prescription drugs?
Prescription drugs utilize the magic bullet approach. Meaning they take a substance (often from nature) that works, isolate it and administer it. The philosophy is a little is great, but more is better. In this way, the isolate can sometimes have significant side effects. The other problem is the use of drugs is often to reduce symptoms rather than isolating the cause or causes of the symptoms. However, this is not to discredit prescription drugs as they can save your life. In an emergency, prescription drugs and allopathic healthcare (that’s your MD) are more likely to be a solution than herbals.
On the other hand, herbals have the benefit of few side affect, few interactions and many additional health benefits. Not only do they give the desired effect, they may also supply you with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other beneficial compounds. The philosophy of herbal medicine is to isolate the root of the problem utilize herbs to help deal with the symptoms and strengthen the bodies defenses against the root cause. This process often takes longer than the allopathic way, but it often lasts longer and causes little or no harm to the body.
Should I get off all my prescription medications and only take herbals?
The answer is a resounding NO. There is a reason your physician put you on those medications. It is best to discuss your options with both your physician and me. Then, using your best judgment, make a decision. It is important to point out that some medications can be dangerous to just abruptly stop and some health conditions require medication for the rest of your life (as in anti-rejection therapy after a transplant).
What are the costs?
There is no absolute answer to this question. It depends on whether you are taking a tincture (alcohol extract), decoction, capsule, or a combination thereof. The nice thing about herbals is they are relatively inexpensive.
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