What’s wrong with herbal medicine?
It’s that time of the year when people start taking echinacea in efforts to ward off colds and flu.
Echinacea is a prime example of blind faith. I give reasons why people SHOULD NOT take echinacea… and these same reasons apply to many other herbal remedies.
Some related articles and studies
RICHARD SADOVSKY, M.D.
Barrett BP, et al. Treatment of the common cold with unrefinedechinacea. Ann Intern Med December 17, 2002; 137:939-46
^ “Efficacy and safety of echinacea in treating upper respiratory tract infections in children: a randomized controlled trial”, Taylor, J. A., et al. 2003., Journal of the American Medical Association 2003 Dec 3;290(21):2824-30
^ “An evaluation of Echinaceae angustifolia in experimental rhinovirus infections.” Turner, R. B. et al. 2005., New England Journal of Medicine 353: 341-348
Herbal medicines. “Selected clinical considerations focusing on known or potential drug-herb interactions.”, Miller, Lucinda G., 1998, Archives of Internal Medicine 158: 2200-2211
Duration : 0:6:51
@imrational I have …
@imrational I have no clue, because I’m not an f**king doctor!!! I think it may have something to do with my sulfate allergy. This conversation is getting to long, lol.
@giaiddreams
…
@giaiddreams
Echinacea is made of chemicals and is used to affect the body (supposedly “boost your immune system”). That meets the definition of drug.
I am a nurse and have studied alternative medicine. Maybe in your view of reality I am a fool, but I believe in evidence-based practice. Show me the theory for how something works and the supporting evidence.
I pointed out some of the flaws with herbal medicines. I notice you decided to attack my appearance & not my points. Telling.
Dear Mr. ummm I am …
Dear Mr. ummm I am IR-imrational……Echinacea is not a drug. Some of us do not want to take drugs….any herb or medication for that matter should be used when needed and not otherwise. I could say a lot of stuff here but I’ll just say you obviously don’t know anything about Natural healing….can’t see the importance of taking OUR health and personal power back into our own hands…..and pretty much just sound like a fool in my book. Bless your little pointed head…… )O(
@SilentHillWren
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@SilentHillWren
Okay, WHY is your body “more responsive to more natural alternative”?
@imrational Yes, …
@imrational Yes, anyone in any industry has profit driven motives, because as you stated, it’s a free market. I myself am not a doctor, but I know that what the doctors and nurses tell their own families in the privacy of their homes only has the motive of love and concern behind it. I’m glad what you do works for you, and what I do works for me. My body is just much more responsive to more natural alternatives.
@SilentHillWren
…
@SilentHillWren
Why are pharmaceuticals bad?
Is it because pharmaceutical companies have a profit motive? If that’s the case, then why are herbals good? The herbal and homeopathic industries have profit motives too… sometimes far stronger than pharmaceutical ones because they are less regulated and can make claims that drug companies can’t.
If you truly are an …
If you truly are an honest medical professional, congratulations–you are in a disappearing group. I respectfully disagree with many of the points in your video, being from a family consisting almost exclusively of nurses, pharmacists and nurse’s aids. My mother is no longer a nurse’s aid because of moral objections to the mind set of the hospitals she worked in. Many of my relatives are not able to tell me everything involved, but the general consensus is that pharmaceuticals are VERY, very bad
Larch Tree Extract …
Larch Tree Extract itself has been scientifically proven to be 3 TIMES MORE POTENT than Echinacea and has been used by native people for hundreds of years to treat infections and fight cold symptoms.
I laugh when …
I laugh when Europeans take indigenous medicine., don’t know how to use it then say it doesn’t work.
The Echinacea that Alfred Vogel was shown by Black Eagle, and that other Northern Plains Indian tribes used is the species known as Echinacea Angustafolia. Medicine Men, Healers and Elders believe that the Purpurea and Pallida species are not as potent as the Angustafolia species. Furthermore, Lakota uses ONLY the ROOT of Echinacea Angustafolia.
jamesmills,
…
jamesmills,
Everything in our world is made up of atoms… elements. These elements (also called chemicals) can be combined to form molecules, solutions, suspensions. They also make up living things like plants and animals (i.e. FOOD).
Every chemical we take in has a range where it can be no effect, therapeutic effect, or toxic effect depending on the amount and length of exposure.
This means that even food (which is made up of chemicals) has “no effect”, “therapeutic”, or “harmful” ranges
jamesmills,
“Not …
jamesmills,
“Not withstanding that there are some benefits to nonlethal drugs or chemicals But those that have severe side effects should be banned. agreed?”
No, I’m afraid I don’t.
Did you know people can die from drinking water? Yup! It’s true and I’m not talking about drowning either. Google up “water intoxication”. Did you want to ban water?
jamesmills,
You …
jamesmills,
You have this mistaken notion that chemicals are always man-made. Nature is all about chemicals. Water is di-hydro monoxide! Just because it has a scientific name doesn’t mean that it is bad or unnatural, it’s just the scientific term!
Jamesmills,
You’ve …
Jamesmills,
You’ve got me at a total loss here. I haven’t a clue on where to begin. I sincerely think that you do not understand pharmacology or chemistry in the least.
Natural poisons are “pretty well known” because they probably killed people and animals in the past! Tomatoes were once regarded as poisonous, looks like some naturalist got that one wrong. Sassafras tea was thoroughly enjoyed until fairly recently when it was found out to be a carcinogen.
Part two, you said. …
Part two, you said…
‘Dude, anything you eat or drink is made up of chemicals and could be considered a drug!’ How silly a statement who made you in charge of what things should be called? Do you know drugs kill? do you know chemicals are not food? Evidently you know little about drugs or chemicals not realizing that the body does not use them as food. Not withstanding that there are some benefits to nonlethal drugs or chemicals. But those that have severe side effects should be banned. agreed?
Part one
You said …
Part one
You said ‘Dude, anything you eat or drink is made up of chemicals and could be considered a drug!’ How pitiful u sound. First came nature. Then came the chemicals. Before there were man made chemicals there were all natural things on the planet. Now everywhere we look we see synthetic this synthetic that. What would you prefer eating, man made food with additives or all natural grown by nature? Ever read the ingredients on prepackaged food? Is that what you want to eat?
Jamesmills51,
…
Jamesmills51,
Dude, anything you eat or drink is made up of chemicals and could be considered a drug!
Then you said “The …
Then you said “The fact you don’t understand that signifies you don’t understand how drugs work on the human body. I strongly encourage you to read up on human physiology.” Studying human physiology makes no difference in the fact that herbs help more than drugs (chemicals) Listen to the saying of the father of so called modern medicine let FOOD be the medicine and medicine be thy FOOD. Is that so hard to comprehend? What chemical can be called a real food? Remember the saying drugs KILL.
You said “If it is …
You said “If it is the same chemical, then you will have the same effects.Yes, drugs can kill… I never said they don’t, but so can natural ones. Don’t forget that “natural” poisons exist out there and have been used as folk remedies/alt medicine in the past.” Natural poisons are pretty well know and people avoid them. Plants are not chemicals (any substance used in or obtained by a chemical process is not natural).
It is silly to compare naturals plants with man made chemicals.
If it is the same …
If it is the same chemical, then you will have the same effects.
Yes, drugs can kill… I never said they don’t, but so can natural ones. Don’t forget that “natural” poisons exist out there and have been used as folk remedies/alt medicine in the past.
The fact you don’t understand that signifies you don’t understand how drugs work on the human body. I strongly encourage you to read up on human physiology.
You made this …
You made this statement in your response…So, if you take a chemical found in nature and have your twin take the exact same chemical, but have it man-made… your twin is more at risk for adverse effects?!? Yes man made vs nature is a no brainier. Just go to webmd and read Drug Side Effects Explained and you will have your answer to drugs vs. nature. Chemicals are not foods that are fake. Not to say that there is no good in them just saying they can kill and have killed.
That makes no sense.