FAQ: Herbs Vs. Drugs
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What are some of the Differences Between Pharmaceutical Drugs and
Herbs?
Many if not most drugs are made using harsh chemical processes out of toxic
chemical components in an attempt to replicate the healing properties found
in herbal plants. The primary purpose for doing this is so that the resulting
drug can be patented and sold for very large amounts of money that could
not be charged for the herb, which is easily grown and relatively
inexpensive. Ironically the pharmaceutical companies search for the so-called
“magic bullet”, the "one component" in a particular herb that they, with their
misguided theories of how energy and healing work, believe has the
therapeutic effect. This is misguided for a very important reason.
Herbs come from plants and are thus part of the natural-world. Human beings
are also part of the natural world. There is a process in the natural world
known as synergy. The definition of synergy is that the whole is greater than
the sum of its parts, meaning in this case that when you isolate a component
out of its natural organic matrix (meaning natural plant state in this case) you
are not only potentially reducing the effectiveness of the healing benefit of the
plant itself, but possibly creating a toxic substance. This problem is made
manifestly worse when chemists try to chemically create and imitate a
component substance from a plant. Many of the chemicals used to create
pharmaceutical drugs are derived from petroleum.
All pharmaceutical drugs are toxic and because of this toxicity they have a
negative impact on the whole body, and especially on the liver and kidneys
which are the major organs of elimination. This is why if you choose any
drug at random in the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) which provides all
the information manufacture’s make available on their drugs including side
effects and warnings, you will find either direct warnings about detrimental
impact on liver and kidney function or side effects that can only be attributed
to damage to those two organs and other organs.
Beyond the problem of the toxicity of these artificially created drugs, our
whole modern Western medical system is focused on nothing more than
prescribing drugs to mask or cover symptoms rather than to correct the
underlying problem.
On the other hand, therapeutic herbs provide beneficial nutritional
substances and EM energy that assists the body in returning to balance and
improved function. In many cases herbs can bring about restoration of health.
Why is the Oriental Medical (OM) System (also known as the
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Herbal System) of herbal
prescription better than simply selecting a single herb for a
particular symptom?
The most common method people use in choosing herbs is to identify a
problem symptom and choose an herb that is known to reduce that symptom.
Say the symptom is constipation and you choose an herb that someone told
you promotes bowel movements. If you take that herb, it may or may not
work depending upon whether or not it addresses the underlying or root
cause of the constipation. Notice that this approach to using herbs is no
different from the way MDs prescribe drugs, which basically is let's try this
and see if it woks. If it doesn't work, let’s try this other one. What this means
is that the person prescribing does not understand the underlying root of the
problem. This is a very wasteful and potentially dangerous method of
prescribing herbs and drugs.
No other system of herbal understanding and prescription is as sophisticated
and proven effective as that of Oriental Medicine (TCM). Practitioners of
Oriental Medicine are using a system of prescribing herbs that has been
continuously in use for more than 4,000 years with 2,500 years documented
in written texts. These herbal specialists have been clinically confirming the
effects, the functions and indications (effects on the body) of herbs for more
than 2,500 years.
The ancient clinicians also discovered that herbs have many other properties
or characteristics that western herbology has entirely missed such as the
thermic nature (warming or cooling effect on the body), and which organs
are affected and what those effects are.
Because Oriental Medicine understands where specific symptoms come from;
that being certain specific channel problems or organ energetic problems and
applies herbal understanding in a way completely compatible to it’s medical
diagnostic and treatment principle protocol, it works so much better than
drugs or even herbs prescribed by other methods.
The diagnosis and treatment principles and herbal applications are completely
integrated in Oriental Medical herbal prescription. For example someone may
have Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness, a fairly common imbalance. The
treatment principles for this dysfunction are to strengthen the spleen energy
(Qi) and drain dampness. In the Oriental Medical System of herbal diagnosis
and prescription all medicinal herbs are categorized into such categories as
“Herbs That Tonify Qi” and "Herbs that Drain Damp”, “Aromatic Herbs that
Drain dampness” to name but a few potentially applicable categories of
herbs. So when we treat someone with Spleen Qi deficiency with Dampness,
we choose appropriate herbs from the category of herbs that tonify Qi
(specifically Spleen Qi) and some from the categories of herbs that drain
dampness. Often we are guided by classic formulas in use continuously for at
least 4,000 years.
Have you ever wondered why, when you read about an herb and
take it, you may not have gotten the results that have been reported?
Or you find yourself taking more than one herb at a time and getting
diarrhea when you never had it before? The problem is that each herb has
more than one effect on the body and what works for one person may not
work for another. That is why the correct diagnosis and complete assessment
of the status of your whole body is so important to effective herbal us. Herbs
work best in combination in a way that balances the body. Taking single
herbal remedies may work some of the time, but often just makes things
worse, because a single herb usually can’t balance the whole body. This
knowledge of herbs is what makes a Doctor of Oriental Medicine who
specializes in herbal medicine the most qualified to help you.
How is your knowledge different than say someone who works at a
health food store who makes recommendations to me about herbs?
Not only do I practice a system of diagnosis and prescription in use and
validated over at least 4,000 years, but I have thousands of hours of study,
both in class and in the years since graduating and being in clinical practice
in the use of Oriental Herbal Medicine and thousands of hours of work in the
creation of many computer herbal databases to aid me in my work.
Additionally, I have developed a unique system of using kinesiology (muscle
testing) to confirm with your body’s wisdom, the subconscious mind, the
appropriateness of my prescriptions.
If you want me to treat you, call me at 941-926-4711 to schedule an
appointment. Click here to go to For My First Visit for a welcome letter and
new patient intake form.
Herbs?
Many if not most drugs are made using harsh chemical processes out of toxic
chemical components in an attempt to replicate the healing properties found
in herbal plants. The primary purpose for doing this is so that the resulting
drug can be patented and sold for very large amounts of money that could
not be charged for the herb, which is easily grown and relatively
inexpensive. Ironically the pharmaceutical companies search for the so-called
“magic bullet”, the "one component" in a particular herb that they, with their
misguided theories of how energy and healing work, believe has the
therapeutic effect. This is misguided for a very important reason.
Herbs come from plants and are thus part of the natural-world. Human beings
are also part of the natural world. There is a process in the natural world
known as synergy. The definition of synergy is that the whole is greater than
the sum of its parts, meaning in this case that when you isolate a component
out of its natural organic matrix (meaning natural plant state in this case) you
are not only potentially reducing the effectiveness of the healing benefit of the
plant itself, but possibly creating a toxic substance. This problem is made
manifestly worse when chemists try to chemically create and imitate a
component substance from a plant. Many of the chemicals used to create
pharmaceutical drugs are derived from petroleum.
All pharmaceutical drugs are toxic and because of this toxicity they have a
negative impact on the whole body, and especially on the liver and kidneys
which are the major organs of elimination. This is why if you choose any
drug at random in the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) which provides all
the information manufacture’s make available on their drugs including side
effects and warnings, you will find either direct warnings about detrimental
impact on liver and kidney function or side effects that can only be attributed
to damage to those two organs and other organs.
Beyond the problem of the toxicity of these artificially created drugs, our
whole modern Western medical system is focused on nothing more than
prescribing drugs to mask or cover symptoms rather than to correct the
underlying problem.
On the other hand, therapeutic herbs provide beneficial nutritional
substances and EM energy that assists the body in returning to balance and
improved function. In many cases herbs can bring about restoration of health.
Why is the Oriental Medical (OM) System (also known as the
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Herbal System) of herbal
prescription better than simply selecting a single herb for a
particular symptom?
The most common method people use in choosing herbs is to identify a
problem symptom and choose an herb that is known to reduce that symptom.
Say the symptom is constipation and you choose an herb that someone told
you promotes bowel movements. If you take that herb, it may or may not
work depending upon whether or not it addresses the underlying or root
cause of the constipation. Notice that this approach to using herbs is no
different from the way MDs prescribe drugs, which basically is let's try this
and see if it woks. If it doesn't work, let’s try this other one. What this means
is that the person prescribing does not understand the underlying root of the
problem. This is a very wasteful and potentially dangerous method of
prescribing herbs and drugs.
No other system of herbal understanding and prescription is as sophisticated
and proven effective as that of Oriental Medicine (TCM). Practitioners of
Oriental Medicine are using a system of prescribing herbs that has been
continuously in use for more than 4,000 years with 2,500 years documented
in written texts. These herbal specialists have been clinically confirming the
effects, the functions and indications (effects on the body) of herbs for more
than 2,500 years.
The ancient clinicians also discovered that herbs have many other properties
or characteristics that western herbology has entirely missed such as the
thermic nature (warming or cooling effect on the body), and which organs
are affected and what those effects are.
Because Oriental Medicine understands where specific symptoms come from;
that being certain specific channel problems or organ energetic problems and
applies herbal understanding in a way completely compatible to it’s medical
diagnostic and treatment principle protocol, it works so much better than
drugs or even herbs prescribed by other methods.
The diagnosis and treatment principles and herbal applications are completely
integrated in Oriental Medical herbal prescription. For example someone may
have Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness, a fairly common imbalance. The
treatment principles for this dysfunction are to strengthen the spleen energy
(Qi) and drain dampness. In the Oriental Medical System of herbal diagnosis
and prescription all medicinal herbs are categorized into such categories as
“Herbs That Tonify Qi” and "Herbs that Drain Damp”, “Aromatic Herbs that
Drain dampness” to name but a few potentially applicable categories of
herbs. So when we treat someone with Spleen Qi deficiency with Dampness,
we choose appropriate herbs from the category of herbs that tonify Qi
(specifically Spleen Qi) and some from the categories of herbs that drain
dampness. Often we are guided by classic formulas in use continuously for at
least 4,000 years.
Have you ever wondered why, when you read about an herb and
take it, you may not have gotten the results that have been reported?
Or you find yourself taking more than one herb at a time and getting
diarrhea when you never had it before? The problem is that each herb has
more than one effect on the body and what works for one person may not
work for another. That is why the correct diagnosis and complete assessment
of the status of your whole body is so important to effective herbal us. Herbs
work best in combination in a way that balances the body. Taking single
herbal remedies may work some of the time, but often just makes things
worse, because a single herb usually can’t balance the whole body. This
knowledge of herbs is what makes a Doctor of Oriental Medicine who
specializes in herbal medicine the most qualified to help you.
How is your knowledge different than say someone who works at a
health food store who makes recommendations to me about herbs?
Not only do I practice a system of diagnosis and prescription in use and
validated over at least 4,000 years, but I have thousands of hours of study,
both in class and in the years since graduating and being in clinical practice
in the use of Oriental Herbal Medicine and thousands of hours of work in the
creation of many computer herbal databases to aid me in my work.
Additionally, I have developed a unique system of using kinesiology (muscle
testing) to confirm with your body’s wisdom, the subconscious mind, the
appropriateness of my prescriptions.
If you want me to treat you, call me at 941-926-4711 to schedule an
appointment. Click here to go to For My First Visit for a welcome letter and
new patient intake form.
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