Have you ever wandered the aisle of a health food store wondering what all those bottles of herbal cold remedies, pain relievers and immune supports actually do or how to take them? Welcome to the club! And, to the world of herbal medicine – a potentially life-changing, safe, effective, and exceptionally natural solution to solving a host of symptomatic problems in addition to helping to reverse the root cause of autoimmune disorders, chronic diseases, allergies and life-long imbalances that may seem incurable.
Herbal remedies can also offer you relief from insomnia, attachment issues and nervous system imbalances such as anxiety and depression, in addition to improving your sex life and psychic capabilities.
Topical herbal remedies can treat dermatological issues and be used in day-to-day skin, eye, tooth and hair-care routines. Herbs can be blended with other natural substances to create effective cleaning solutions, laundry detergent, and air fresheners. Herbal remedies and products could literally replace all of the chemicals in your entire medicine cabinet, makeup container and laundry room. And – when used correctly – they could do so safely, effectively and without long-term repercussions.
Herbs have been used in ritual, routine, family gatherings and union-making for longer than our collective memories could probably even process.
In essence, herbs are life – an essential part of life.
Herbal Medicine Enigma: Path To Holistic Health
So, why do we only find herbs in health food stores, natural markets or herbal apothecaries? And, why do so few people understand herbs and so many fear them? These questions have fascinated me throughout my years as a practitioner of herbal medicine, given that many individuals rarely question the synthetic substances, animal byproducts and chemically-manufactured medications prescribed by a doctor.
Interestingly, nearly half of all prescription medications are derived from plants and their chemical compounds. For example, morphine is an extract of the opium poppy and aspirin derives from the salicylic acid in willow bark. Of course, most of these substances or their extracts have been replicated synthetically and combined with other chemicals to produce the pills in pharmacies and hospitals.
Herbal remedies, on the other hand, generally remain in their purest form, offering safe and natural healing solutions when appropriately sourced and administered. Some herbal formulas can take time to prove their effectiveness, requiring patience and consistency from the consumer to trust that a process is working and that their healing and wellbeing can’t necessarily happen overnight. In addition, herbal remedies are always best paired with nutrition and lifestyle changes that support the energetics and molecular metabolism of the herb – this is how the deepest healing happens.
I can sympathize with a general population that doesn’t have the time or patience to figure out the herbal market, which can sometimes promote fancy remedies without effective oversight and can also sell products tainted with heavy metals and chemicals that nobody would ever want to put into their body.
A Questionable Market
It’s true: the herbal market can’t necessarily be trusted. Just because something has “turmeric” in its title, doesn’t necessarily make it healthy. In fact, a lot of products with the pretty, light-orange, silky-as-powdered sugar turmeric are actually laced with lead chromate – a chemical used in paints to brighten yellows and, in this case, to enhance the orange of turmeric root.
Indeed, many herbs have been processed with heavy metals, harmful chemicals and otherwise risky substances. This processing makes the products more accessible to a burgeoning 80 billion dollar market of consumers, many of whom are simply buying herbal remedies off-the-shelf without much knowledge or guarantee of their safety or effectiveness.
The truth is, not all herbal remedies are necessarily safe. Can they potentially be more dangerous than long-term or excessive use of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications? That’s debatable. The bottom line is that, much like you shouldn’t just start taking prescription medication or an OTC without the advice or prescription of a qualified healthcare professional, you also shouldn’t take herbal remedies without advice, prescription and guidelines from a qualified holistic healthcare practitioner with formal training in herbal medicine.
(NOTE: there are “holistic practitioners” without formal training in herbal medicine, so be sure to work with a practitioner who has extensive training and certification from an accredited institution.)
One of the questions we are often asked is whether a commercial herbal remedy will make a client sick? This is hard to say but the remedy may have: not worked, worsened symptoms, or included ingredients of questionable quality. In any of these circumstances, it’s always better to check the sourcing and work with a practitioner who can recommend the right herbal products for you.
A Safer Path Forward
At Path Wellbeing, our preference is to design custom herbal remedies for our clients that are tailored to their unique constitution. No matter the condition or disease we are treating, this is the best option because we can ensure the herbal formula is:
- Specifically tailored to a client’s constitution and specific imbalance, including taking into account any allergies or potential contraindications with Western medications.
- Well-sourced and free of harmful chemicals, heavy metals or toxins.
- Sustainably-sourced whenever possible.
The foundation of our training as Ayurvedic clinicians is to understand the energetics of an individual, the energetics of their nutrition and lifestyle, and the energetics of their herbal remedies. When these energies align, deep and meaningful healing can take place.
Working with herbs over the years, we have witnessed clients find solutions to long-term problems that even prescription medications couldn’t alleviate, avoid surgeries and other invasive procedures, and ditch prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.
The takeaway? Herbal remedies can be extremely effective when appropriately sourced and used in the right way, ideally with the guidance of a qualified practitioner.
Recommendations
- Choose Quality Spices: Spices are herbs. Buy all of your cooking spices from a reputable supplier that sells organic products and guarantees their products have not been processed with chemicals or heavy metals. Banyan Botanicals and Mountain Rose are two highly reputable online suppliers.
- Fresh is Ideal: Herbs are food and food is medicine! Fresh herbs are the best. Dried herbs and spices less than one-year old have greater potency. As a rule of thumb, toss your pantry spices after 6 months to one year (many pantry spices sit on grocery store shelves for months before they are purchased).
- Read Labels and Research: Don’t just buy anything off the shelf in your grocery store. Read the label, research the company, read about their sourcing, manufacturing and packaging standards. Just because it’s labeled “organic” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s free from chemical processing or heavy metals.
- Consult a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist: Ask a herbal medical professional for recommendations. Your best course of action is to understand the herbs that are most effective for your constitution and imbalances, in addition to the dosages and timing that are most effective and safe for your particular situation.
- Mindful Usage: In many cases, your liver and kidneys need a periodic rest, especially from more potent oral formulas. Always follow the advice of your practitioner and attend your regular check-in appointments to adjust your formula and dosage and assess for needed pauses or discontinuation. As a general rule of thumb (ALWAYS consult your practitioner first), pause or discontinue an herbal remedy after 3-6 months. Or, consider taking one day off per week or one week off per month.
- Tonic vs. Purifying Herbs: Heavier, tonic herbs can be taken for a longer period of time than reductionist, purifying herbs. Consult a practitioner to understand the qualities of an herbal remedy and how long you can take it.
Appropriate and responsible herbal remedies are as unique as you are. At Path Wellbeing, we honor your unique you and custom tailor all of our treatment plans to you as an individual. Want to learn more? Book a free 15-minute Discovery Call.
Article authored by Kirsten Ahern, Founder of Path Wellbeing, Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, Integrative Nutritionist, Human Performance Health Coach,Wellbeing Advocate, E-RYT 200 and RYT 500, Meditation, Mindfulness and Spiritual Wellbeing Coach.
The information contained within this article is for educational purposes only and should not replace the direct advice of a qualified healthcare professional. Always consult a professional healthcare provider when considering a new health regime.
Sources:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/ethnobotany/medicinal/index.shtml
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3560124/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mother-natures-medicine-c/
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/essential-medicines-powered-by-plants.html
www.popsci.com/health/lead-tainted-turmeric-trade/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.595335/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071505/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8197804/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651321004474
