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Six Reasons
why Herbal Remedies Fail
Marguerite Dunne, MA
Americans are
steadily returning to the arcane herbology of their
great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers. Instead of a quick
fix, herbal
remedies seek to work with the circadian rhythms of nature to
restore the
body's own good health. Oftentimes, when the body has been
thoroughly
detoxified from the preservatives, smog, workplace chemicals,
and
environmental toxins, the body will miraculously regenerate.
So, suppose someone does take the time to see an herbalist or
does some
reading and tries using herbs to feel better. But, the person
does NOT feel
like s/he is getting better. Why?.....
Here are some reasons for herbs not working:
1. People simply stop taking the herbs.
a. Some people do not follow through on taking the right
amount of
herbs for the time they are supposed to take them. As Rocky
says, "Go the
distance."
b. Some people forget after a while, thereby not completing
the
healing.
c. Some people may deliberately break off before they are
"done"
because they already feel better (that does not mean someone
is really
healed).
d. Some people stop taking the herbs because: "instant"
results
are expected or there is no coffee "kick" to show them the
herb is working
or there is no feeling of penicillin "rescue" which shows them
the herb is
working.
e. Some people believe that working with herbs will be too
expensive
over the long run since most insurances do not cover
alternative medicine.
(In reality, if you stay ill, that is more expensive over the
long run.)
f. Some people have "friends" and family who are not
supportive.
Oftentimes the whole group has to change before the
individuals in group
can change. There are people who are reluctant to not follow
the crowd....
2. There may be more problems going on with your body than you
know.
a. Someone¹s body could be toxic from air cigarettes, alcohol,
or
drug use (including too many properly prescribed drugs by a
doctor). A
person can also absorb many toxins in the workplace - car
fumes, chemicals,
printing ink, cleaning solutions, dyes, or harsh detergents
and soaps.
b. Many people are living with undiagnosed allergies and/or
illnesses which may even be hereditary.
c. Sadly, some people are not telling the truth about the
extent
of their problems to others or even to themselves.
Embarrassment, denial,
or some other problem many prevent a person from owning what
is
happening; it is always better to tell the truth.
3. Someone may use another person¹s protocol. If three
capsules a
day of echinacea worked for Susie, it should work for me! You
and Susie
are two different people.
4. People take drugs on top of their herbs for the same
medical
problem.
a. If you have a medical problem, (example: depression), and
are
taking a drug, (example: zoloft), and decide it's not enough,
please do not
add an herb (example: St. John's Wort). It is like double
dosing of an
drug.
b. Drugs can interfere with the action of the herb or an herb
may
interfere with the action of a particular drug.
5. Someone may be taking the "wrong" herb. We are now
receiving
hoards of junk mail (as well as e-mail spam) which tout the
latest
concoctions devised by armchair-herbalists who have never had
their hands in
the dirt. They do not understand how to put together
combinations of herbs,
what the long-term side effects might be, nor when it is the
appropriate
time to try a different remedy. Someone may need to try a few
herbs before
hitting the mark and for the inexperienced, one failed attempt
may equal
giving up on natural medicine.
6. The herbs themselves may be "bad" (weak) ones. Just as
there are
tasty apples, vintage wines, and tantalizing soufflés, there
are stronger
herbs and poorly grown herbs. If the quality of the herbs you
have been
using are weak, you may not be getting the best health
benefits from them
you could be getting.
Read books, talk to friends who are use herbs, call your
herbalist.
Get as much information as you can to help you make decisions
about your
choices.
And this is how to get started!
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