Use Safely Herbal Medicines
Herbal medicines and herbal treatments are widely used around the world. Many people take them daily for almost any ailment or condition you can imagine. Large scale herbal pharmacies have sprung up in towns, cities, and newspapers and magazine adverts promote these products widely.
Are herbal medicines safe?
Recent press reports have given cause for concern, though – in fairness – the vast majority of those taking this type of herbal treatment done without additional adverse effects of any kind.
If you are thinking about using herbs to improve your health then follow these simple guidelines to make sure that you and your family remain safe.
First - remember that herbal medicines are still medicines at the end of the day. Many of our most powerful modern drugs are derived from plants originally so it’s no surprise that the extracts of plants have the active chemicals in them. You need to think about how herbs can react in your system and also about how they can work with or against other medicines you are taking.
Second - some of us are more at risk than others of developing serious adverse effects. Take the medication based on the herb is not recommended if you are pregnant (especially in the early stages of pregnancy but also later on the way), lactation or in children. Recent research now shows that the elderly are also at risk of problems with this approach of complementary medicine.
If you plan to undergo surgery then tell your surgeon and anesthesia your doctor what you are taking. Some of these natural products may interact with anesthetic drugs and cause major problems with breathing or heart rate. Others may prolong bleeding time and blood loss makes more of a problem during surgery.
People with liver or kidney disease are particularly at risk of problems related to the so-called natural health products. Have been reported several deaths from liver failure in people taking Chinese herbal remedies based on the type. Other research has found high levels of drug included in some preparations western China’s health, but with no indication of this in the package.
If you want to be safe when using this type of therapy you need to look carefully at the product packaging. And regulatory health authorities closely monitor all medications, including the wild type. Look out for the product license (PL) or the registration number of traditional herbs in the box or package. If these numbers are present then it indicates that the content has been approved as suitable for use in health.
In general, if you are considering using herbal medicines for health purposes must be certain to seek a consultation with a qualified herbalist before starting treatment. You would not dose yourself with regular medication without receiving the advice of a doctor and you really need to apply the same principles to herbal treatments as well.