I couldn’t agree more with Tina Sams’ The Essential Herbal Blog: Self Diagnosis, or Dr. Who? when she says “Is it because healthcare has become so expensive that it is out of the reach of middle America, nevermind our poor? Is it because the internet has put so much information at our fingertips that we are deluded into thinking that we know more than we do? Since when did we all become doctors?”

Most of us do not have the benefit of a medical degree behind us and therefore we are often ill equipped to diagnose our own ills (or that of anyone else for that matter).

Everyone knows that I feel strongly about the use of herbs for all manner of situations but just because something is natural doesnt mean that it’s safe. If a herb is traditionally used to treat a certain illness how do you know that it is right for you? Not everyone reacts the same or has the same health needs.
For example one person may drink herbal tea with mint in it and have no problems at all whereas another person may do the same and develop an allergic skin rash.

Do not presume to diagnose your own health issues, see professional to make sure you get a correct diagnosis and then research what alternative remedies may be of use to you.

By not taking the time to consider all the factors and seeking advice you could be putting your health at serious risk. It is these risk factors which make it important to educate yourself before you decide to take herbs of any form and then you should test the herb for a few days at a diluted dosage before using it at its full concentration so that any adverse effects are mild rather than severe.

People who are diabetic should not be taking certain herbs; some herbs should not be taken when on certain medications and sometimes the combining of certain herbs will achieve a negative result. There are many rules which people neglect to learn before they jump into the herbal world with both feet. Take the time to do the research, find a reputable source of information like Herbology, you can trust and learn what you can about herbal remedies so you can use them safely and without regret. Learn more about which herbs to avoid with certain conditions and what herbs or combinations of herbs are not safe. It is your health, take the time to learn so you can take responsibility for it.

Remember to always stay safe…

Stay Herbal!

Hello Herb Lovers,

Do large multinationals, who use a multitude of chemicals in their products, really think that by adding a herbal compound and marketing that fact heavily, will make people fall over themselves to buy the product because it is suddenly healthy?

Last night I was watching TV and in one of the ad breaks saw an advertisement for a new antiperspirant/deodorant by Rexona. In it a 2-dimensional paper woman while searching for clothes tears her armpits - that’s never happened to me I have to admit but according to the ad it is something women can expect to happen. As a way to fix this painful looking problem Rexona has added Calendula to one of its products. They claim that it “…. helps skin restore itself from damage caused by underarm shaving.”

Brilliant! Calendula (also known as Marigold) is a skin hero. Cream made from Calendula is infinitely versatile. Use it to treat any skin problem involving inflammation or dry skin, dry eczema, sore or split nipples from breastfeeding, and minor burns including sunburn. A compress soaked in Calendula infusion is great for slow healing wounds and varicose veins, or you can gargle it to ease mouth ulcers.

As to Rexona’s claim above…yes, Calendula would help heal shaving damage, but what about the aluminium salts making into the broken skin first?

Now what I pondered last night - and Light of my Life was unable to shed further light on - is this:

Does a small amount of a good ingredient, negate some of the bad ingredients and thus is some good better than none?

OR

Is a small amount of a good ingredient totally overrun by the bad ingredients thus making the addition of said good ingredient totally redundant?

I use natural, preferably herbal products wherever I can. Reading the labels on products has long become a habit when I shop. The terminology used, the abundance of number combinations, some really bad some not so bad for you but are you going to learn them all out by heart? I do wish more people would take the time to educate themselves in what they are putting on and in their bodies, but the manufactures and labeling laws do not make it easy for the consumer.

Personally, I found the ad last night totally laughable. The people who will respond positively to it are those that have no idea what Calendula is so why use it as a marketing tool? Maybe it just sounds good, maybe they hope that people will recognise the name from the plants they put in their flower beds…or maybe it is on a par with the “flexi bouncy technology” for a shampoo ad not too long ago and people actively want to believe something that is utter nonsense invented by a creative marketing department.

Well that’s my herbal rant for the day, have a great weekend …..

Stay Herbal!

Hello Herb Lovers,

Black Cohosh has been used for centuries to reduce menopausal symptoms and to bring on a slow labour in the late stages of pregnancy. Preparations of this herb are commonly sold in European pharmacies to relieve hot flashes.

Traditionally warnings for this herb have included cautions that it will bring on early contractions so should not be used early in pregnancy and only in very small doses later and adverse effects on blood pressure.

More recently, black cohosh has been linked to reports of liver damage. In May 2007 the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) updated its labelling rules for products containing black cohosh. Preparations containing this herb must be labelled with a cautionary advice of possible risk of liver damage.

The TGA’s expert advisory found that “…..Black cohosh is still suitable for use in complementary medicines, but recommended that the current warning statement on the medicine label be revised to better inform consumers about the risk and also to provide sufficient information to assist in the early detection of liver damage and, if detected, to seek medical attention.”

Yesterday I can across this article in The Medical Journal of Australia – “Liver failure associated with the use of black cohosh for menopausal symptoms”. By the sound of it the authors of this article are reporting on the same Australian cases of liver failure that had already been investigated by the TGA, but it does provide more information on the individual (9^th) case.

It is an interesting read…..particularly the “….Two safety reviews have found black cohosh extract to be well tolerated and adverse events to be rare when it is taken for up to 6 months. However, the seven case reports of hepatotoxicity potentially associated with black cohosh use in the past decade raise concern. Currently, there is no known biologically plausible mechanism to explain this hepatotoxicity, which is likely to be multifactorial.” I find their statement of“The most likely cause of our patient’s liver failure was her use of black cohosh,…” to be quite a leap although they do point out that she did not take the preparation according to instructions and exceeded the recommended duration of treatment by taking black cohosh for 3 years instead of the recommended 2 months.

I am no expert and I am certainly no scientist. The occurrence of liver damage in women who take black cohosh is very scary stuff. The TGA has this to say “… At the time of the review, there were 47 cases of liver reactions worldwide, including 9 Australian cases. In Australia, four patients were hospitalised, including two who required liver transplantation. Although some reports are confounded by multiple ingredients, by more than one medication or by other medical conditions, there is sufficient evidence of a causal association between Black cohosh and serious hepatitis. Considering the widespread use of black cohosh, the incidence of liver reaction appears to be very low. “

Here is my personal recommendation to all my readers who may be thinking of using black cohosh:

Black Cohosh has been used effectively for centuries – but that doesn’t mean that it may not also have some side effects. Before you take this herb, check with a professional herbalist, and if you have any liver problems (or have a family history of liver problems) I would find an alternative herb to treat my menopausal symptoms with.

Stay Herbal!