The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies (36 page)

Some herbs contain several active compounds that deliver very different actions—and these chemicals are found if different parts of the plant. For example, the gel and juice of the aloe
(Aloe vera)
plant contain several anti-inflammatory chemicals, which can treat burns (externally) and ulcers (internally). But the latex (the milky sap contained in the rind) contains anthraquinones, which work as a potent stimulant laxative. Thus, unless you’re looking for constipation relief, be sure the aloe product you’re buying is made from the gel, not the latex.

Some herbs are effective medicines when used externally—but dangerous toxins when ingested. Both arnica
(Arnica montana)
and comfrey
(Symphytum officinale),
for example, can treat bruises and muscle aches and are used in a variety of creams, ointments, and other topical treatments. But taken internally, each can cause serious problems (arnica is toxic to the heart, comfrey to the liver). Arnica is used internally in homeopathic remedies (see
Chapter 1
), but they are extremely dilute and so are completely nontoxic.

Herbs are classified as either wild-grown or farm-grown. Wild-grown herbs, as the name implies, grew on their own and were harvested by people in a process called
wildcrafting.
Farm-grown herbs were produced commercially.

Most people like the idea of using plants that grew naturally, unfettered by humans and all of our issues. But wild-grown herbs may have been exposed to chemicals and pesticides (they may have grown beside a highway or near a polluted stream). In addition, some herbs are endangered in the wild, meaning they stand the best chance of survival if they’re cultivated commercially.

The best choice is to buy organically grown herbs that were raised in the United States according to our organic standards. That means they were raised without conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or sewage.

If you have a serious health concern or are interested in broadening your herbal acumen beyond the basics, find a professional: an herbalist, a natural medicine practitioner, or a conventional doctor who uses herbs. Many doctors who practice complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) incorporate herbs, and although not all are licensed in every state, you can probably find at least one type of practitioner in your area (see Appendix C for some suggestions).

In the United States, there’s no official definition of an herbalist, and there’s no licensing or certification system in place for them. However, the American Herbalists Guild awards certification to herbalists who have at least four years of training and clinical experience. A professional member of AHG is considered a registered herbalist (RH) and will have the designation “RH (AHG)” after his or her name.

Naturopaths are fully accredited physicians who have attended a four-year residential medical school and passed a postdoctoral board exam. A naturopath will have the designation “ND”—for Naturopathic Doctor.

Right now, naturopaths are licensed in fifteen states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota (as of July 2009), Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Chiropractors, also known as doctors of chiropractic or chiropractic physicians, primarily treat neuromuscular issues—problems in the muscles, bones, and nervous system—like recurrent back pain and headaches. Many incorporate nutritional therapy and herbal medicine into their practices.

Chiropractic is arguably the largest and best known of the CAM professions. There are more than 60,000 practicing chiropractors in the United States, and chiropractic is recognized and licensed in all fifty states. Licensed chiropractors have completed at least four years of professional study and have passed national board and state licensing exams.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses herbs to treat all kinds of conditions and illnesses, which are almost always tied to an imbalance in the body. In TCM, herbs are generally used in combination with other medicinals (which are most often herbs, but can be minerals or animal products). Many formulas contain as many as fifty different components.

TCM practitioners are licensed in forty-three states; states that don’t recognize TCM practitioners are Alabama, Delaware, Kansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Depending on which state you’re in, licensed practitioners might have a few different designations. For example, a practitioner in Arkansas will be identified as a “DOM,” or Doctor of Oriental Medicine, while his counterpart in New Hampshire will be identified by the letters “LAc” or “Lic.Ac.,” for Licensed Acupuncturist.

Ayurvedic practitioners use herbs as food as well as medicine; herbs are often incorporated into therapeutic massage and other types of bodywork.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), less than half of 1 percent of Americans—only about 750,000 people—have ever used Ayurveda, in part because it can be tough to find a qualified practitioner.

Right now, there is no national standard for certification or training for Ayurvedic practitioners in the United States.

Ayurvedic practitioners sometimes use the title MD (Ayur.), which is the professional designation given in India. Practitioners who are accredited in the United States have the title DAv, or Diplomate in Ayurvedic Health Sciences, which is conferred by the American Ayurvedic Association.

Putting herbs to work means understanding their uses—and limits—and deciding how to use them effectively.

In most cases, there are no ironclad rules when it comes to how much of an herbal remedy to take. All herbs are different, and remedies based on the same herb can vary enormously.

Experts determine what’s known as a
therapeutic range
for medicines, with the smallest amount that would produce a benefit at one end and the maximum amount that the average person could take without experiencing unwanted effects at the other. Most herbs have a very wide range of efficacy, and it’s nearly impossible to get a toxic dose of many of them. But while large doses of herbal remedies are usually safe, they’re not necessary. The herbs that are in use today got here because they’re effective—and practical.

Most manufacturers err on the cautious side when it comes to dosages, suggesting the lowest possible amount that you’d need to get the results you want.

When determining the best dose, you should always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. When you don’t have any—the package doesn’t have dosage information or you’ve made the remedy yourself—you can use these. For chronic conditions, adults should take the following doses:

• Tea:
3 to 4 cups a day

• Tincture or syrup: ½
to 1 teaspoon, three times a day

For acute problems, adults should take the following, until symptoms subside:

• Tea:
¼ to ½ cup every hour or two, up to three cups a day

• Tincture or syrup:
¼ to ½ teaspoon every 30 to 60 minutes

The dosages given here are for nonconcentrated products. Because commercial herbal extracts vary widely in their concentration, the best advice for taking a concentrated extract is to check the product’s concentration level (see previous) and divide that by the dosages recommended here. Generally speaking, seniors should take a quarter of an adult dose. For chronic conditions, seniors should take the following doses:

• Tea: ½
to 1 cup, twice a day

• Tincture or syrup:
¼ to
½
teaspoon, twice a day

For acute problems, seniors should take the following, until symptoms subside:

•
Tea: 1/8
to ¼ cup every hour or two, up to three cups a day

•
Tincture or syrup: 1/8
to ¼ teaspoon every hour

Here are two formulas for determining the best dosage for a child:

• Take your child’s age and add 12, then divide that number by the child’s age. Then multiply the adult dosage by that number.

• Divide the child’s age at his next birthday by 24.

Using these formulas, a six-year-old would get 30 percent of an adult dose, and a twelve-year-old would be given half. If you’re treating a baby younger than six months (and you’re breastfeeding), you can take the appropriate herb yourself—and pass it to your baby via your breastmilk.