Chinese Herbal Medicine

However, many herbal remedies used today haven’t undergone careful scientific assessment, plus some have the potential to cause serious toxic effects and major drug-to-drug interactions. Along with the high prevalence of herbal use in the United States today, clinicians must inquire about such health practices for cardiac disease and become informed about the potential for benefit and harm. Continuing research is essential to elucidate the pharmacological activities of the many herbal remedies now used to treat cardiovascular diseases. The involvement of drug companies into the herbal marketplace may improve standardization of dosage for some products. And public and professional affinity for herbs will probably stimulate more research. However, with effective and safe medicines available, treatment with herbs rarely makes sense, and many of the conditions that herbs are recommended are not ideal for self-treatment.

But it is not only the obviously negative thoughts that can disrupt the heart's natural balance. Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine philosophy teaches that even too much joy can harm the heart. This joy” they are really talking about, though, is not the warm, happy feeling you are feeling if you are in love or are enjoying time with friends. It is, rather, the kind of agitated, hyperactive excitement we seek in our seek out distraction and entertainment, the type that stimulates our nervous system and hypes us up. It really is a joy free of equanimity, free of true feeling. And in the end, it wears us out.

Currently, 17 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands require licensing for naturopathic doctors. For graduates of herbalism school, there is absolutely no specific federal- or state-level regulation. However, if you are a chiropractor or other physician, you might have to meet licensing requirements for this field in order to practice. Membership in the American Herbalists Guild can grant yet another degree of professionalism, since guild members must complete a set of standardized educational requirements.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) can be used by more than 2 million men in the United States for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. Several studies suggest that the herb works well for treating symptoms, including frequent urination, having difficulty starting or maintaining urination, and needing to urinate during the night. However, not all studies agree. At least one well-conducted study discovered that saw palmetto was no better than placebo in relieving the signs or symptoms of BPH.

More misinformation about the safety and efficacy of herbs is reaching the public currently than at any previous time, like the turn-of-the-century heyday of patent medicines. The literature promoting herbs includes pamphlets, magazine articles, and books ranging in quality from cheaply printed flyers to elaborately produced studies in fine bindings with attractive illustrations. Practically all of these writings recommend many herbs for treatment predicated on hearsay, folklore, and tradition. The only criterion that appears to be avoided in these publications is scientific evidence. Some writings are so comprehensive and indiscriminate that they seem to be to recommend everything for anything. Even deadly poisonous herbs are occasionally touted as remedies, predicated on some outdated report or a misunderstanding of the facts. Particularly insidious is