My heart goes out to those studying, or merely considering
herbology at this time. There is
so much misinformation out there! To wade through it without a few helpful
guidelines would be daunting at best.
The following are some of the more common myths, along with guidelines
to help you evaluate others you may encounter.
Myth #1: The media (Chemo-ality) say this herb
contains a dangerous toxin or chemical, or that it will cause damage to some
part of the body.
There are certainly things that are
unwise: giving a large amount of a harsh laxative to an expectant mother in her
last trimester; or to the mother that has been having difficulties carrying the
child. Are laxatives
contraindicated in pregnancy? No,
and they should be used if the need should arise…but use judgment and be
conservative. Most of the time the
herb will get the blame instead of the chemical-based prescription containing
iron that has actually constipated her.
YOU MUST ASK THIS QUESTION:
“Has mankind used this herb safely for centuries?” If the answer is yes, you can usually ignore the
report. If the answer is no, have
you ever wondered how they know that it is unsafe? And who is the nebulous “they?” I would question the report, and investigate further.
Consider the process of
developing a new drug. When making a new drug for a specific problem, the drug
maker (Chemo-gods) starts with something that occurs in nature that already
works. For example, Comfrey Root
is very effective for cleaning out the lung from mucous, asthma, etc.
So the chemical company will
take comfrey apart, piece-by-piece, in an attempt to isolate the chemical that
is responsible for the results. They find that comfrey root is very complex.
Each block is a different chemical, (i.e., hydrogen, oxygen, potassium, amino
acids, etc.) and combined just right, it makes up the entire organism.
Now, instead of simply using comfrey root,
on which Nature holds the patent, and validating the effectiveness of the herbs
the drug company wants to re-create it chemically. This allows them to patent it, and make money on it, because now no one else can
make it.
They don’t necessarily want to understand
the herb as a whole; they want to find the one constituent out of all of them
that helps lungs. Let’s say they
find that the “a” block is the one that clears lungs. They ignore the others, and chemically reproduce one portion
of what Nature created as a whole, in hopes of creating the same result.
They create a product that helps lungs, on
which they hold the patent and will make lots of money. Then they find that their “perfect
drug” causes liver damage. Do they stop?
No! The study results are
sent to the legal department to see if the new wonder drug is financially
feasible. The questions that are
asked from this point forward relate more to profits than to effectiveness
and/or safety: Can the company make enough money selling it to the world before
the consumers realize that it is unsafe and begins to file lawsuits? And, most importantly, will the money
generated by the sales offset the legal costs of the lawsuits? If it is economically viable, it is
submitted for approval.
If it is not viable, instead of just moving
on and trying a new approach to achieve their goal, information is released to
the public, not that the company failed in their attempt to duplicate Nature,
but that “newfound information” says comfrey root has a chemical in it that
will cause liver damage.
If you can’t beat them, slander them.
Does comfrey have a constituent that can
damage a liver? Yes, if it is singled out. All of the constituents are needed to achieve the safe and
harmonious results. “a” alone will
cause liver damage unless accompanied by “b” through “l”. When thus combined, the damaging effects of
“a” alone are neutralized, and comfrey becomes cleansing to the liver.
Plants that have been used for centuries are
safe. Why would they say comfrey is dangerous? Well, when they solve their
problem with these drugs there will be a ready market of people that will need
it because by this time they would not consider taking comfrey, as “it is
dangerous.”
If we accept this approach and believe the
propaganda of these companies, we should discontinue using water, considering
it contains a very explosive chemical, namely hydrogen. They wouldn’t separate the two parts
and have you drink them. It would
kill you! Water is safe. Yet, they will disassemble plants,
extracting single parts, and then sell it to us as medication. Uh, that makes sense…
Let’s use their research
“Comfrey
contains two alkaloids which, when taken in sufficient quantities, have
produced depression in the central nervous system. Comfrey may be contraindicated in patients with dietary
potassium restrictions.
Considerable amounts of allantoin are present in the root and leaves,
but it is virtually nontoxic.
At
least eight pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been identified in the leaves of
Russian comfrey (S. uplandicum): echimidine, symphytine, locopsamine,
intermedine, acteylcopsamine, acetylintermedine, symlandine, and angelyl 9
echimidinylretronecine. Some, but
not all, pyrrolizidine alkaloids cause liver damage. Several reports of pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisonings in humans
cited both liver and lung damage.
In
another study conducted with several groups of inbred strain ACI rats of both
sexes, the incidence of liver tumors was higher in those groups fed a diet
containing comfrey root than in those fed a diet containing comfrey leaf, even
though the percentage of comfrey flour is higher in the leaf diet than in the
root diet.
Furthermore,
rats became seriously affected when roots were fed in a concentration of 4% in
two groups of rats, whereas rats tolerated the feeding of the leaves. Rats in one group could ingest an 8%
diet of roots without more serious toxic effects, compared with those in
another group given only a 4% diet.
This suggests that comfrey toxicity can vary, even though plant material
was collected in the same area and at the same time.
Poisoning
can result when foxglove or digitalis is mistaken for comfrey and inadvertently
consumed. Symptoms are weakness, nausea and envisioning yellow halos around
objects. In extreme cases,
poisoning can sometimes result in death.
Recently
the Australian government banned the sale and use of comfrey in herbal
medications due to a fear of toxic factors.”
It
is alarming to think that an herb we have used with success, and have
prescribed with much confidence for many years, could be this dangerous. But let us examine these allegations
closely.
First off, this cannot be the research of herbalists, since
herbalists do not experiment on animals.
Secondly, a little illumination is needed
here. The Chemo-gods have failed
so miserably in their attempts to duplicate comfrey’s effects, that all they
are left with is slander. Comfrey
cannot defend itself, so I will.
Their research says that if as little as 4% of the diet is made up
of comfrey, this will cause irreversible liver damage. Now, if you had a mind to cause
yourself liver damage, liver tumors or make yourself sterile, here’s what you
would have to do (using their numbers).
For every pound of food you eat, you would need to consume 36, 500 mg
capsules of comfrey, or drink over a gallon of tea. This would equal their 4% rate. How long would you need to do this? That is unclear – a day, a month or a
year – the length of the dosage is not given.
The human body has what is called a “gag reflex” to natural
food. This limits or prevents over
consumption of a natural food. For
example, when you have had enough natural honey, the “gag reflex” kicks in,
making the unneeded amounts unpalatable.
Once you have had enough, you have had enough. The danger comes into play when this safety mechanism is
avoided, such as when food manufacturers alter the food. Honey triggers the “gag reflex,” but
refined sugar (which is unnatural to the diet of man) causes little or no “gag
reflex.”
An individual would reach their “gag reflex”
well before toxic levels of a medicinal plant would occur. I trust Nature, and I trust the
herbalists that have proven Comfrey safe, by using it safely for
centuries. I refuse to worship or
believe in the so-called power and knowledge of the Chemo-gods. One more time: COMFREY IS SAFE.
Myth #2: It is safer if we could find a plant source of steroid or perhaps
estrogen instead of using the drugs…after all nature is safer.
What a twisted approach! This is the result of the marketing of
Chemo-ality at its finest. We have been brainwashed! You are accepting the Chemo-gods’ approach to natural
therapy. This approach also
damages natural therapy at its core, and the Chemo-gods know it, in that it leads people to believe
herbology is seeking the same chemical that the Chemo-minions prescribe, but in
a different form. If you buy into
this approach, and think that the reason this herb works is because of the
chemicals in it, then the Chemo-gods have every right to tell you what to do
and how to live your lives. GET
THIS OUT OF YOUR HEAD…THIS IS WRONG THINKING!!!
This Chemo-ality approach to herbology then leads to the question
of dosages. The Chemo-ality
approach would say Dong Quai is a good source of estrogen. Herbology would say that Dong Quai has
many building blocks that the body can use to synthesize estrogen or
progesterone or many other hormones, giving the body the ability to make its
own decisions as to which hormones should be produced, and in what quantities.
Something to consider: When an individual is
taking a chemical hormone to elevate it specifically, and also is taking Dong
Quai, the desired results may not be obtained. The reason is: Dong Quai is high in hormone building blocks,
and the body’s goal is for balance irregardless of our desire to keep one
specific chemical elevated. The
body has a readily available nutrient source to balance itself hormonally, and
will give the appearance to lessen the effect of the chemical hormone.
Myth #3: Herbal therapy is outdated. If a plant were good, my doctor would
have prescribed it.
How do I say this tactfully…it is as outdated
as food. If you want to know what a drug does, ask the Chemo-gods or the
pharmacist (a Chemo-minion
We should make
chemicals, not take them. Our
bodies are the best manufacturer of safe chemicals.
The second part of this question is: how in the
world did the American people ever come to believe that their Chemo-minion
(doctor or pharmacist) knows everything there is to know about everything? The answer is: 4T syndrome. They don’t know about everything,
especially herbs. Until we free
ourselves of this delusion, they will continue their control of us.
If you want to know what an herb does, ask an herbalist or
naturopath. Herbs cannot be
patented. They are best if they
are fresh and handled properly.
Sometimes they taste unpleasant.
But they do work! Many have
been the models for all-chemical drugs.
Herbal formulas are natural to the diet of
man. They feed and nourish
tissues, organs and systems. They
allow the body to make its own determinations as it seeks for its health. Many times, it’s more important to have
made the chemical in the body than to have taken it.
Myth #4 Natural
therapy takes longer.
Before I address, this I want to tell you a
story. Let’s say health is at the top of a hill. There’s a very well traveled road that goes up that hill;
the protocols for climbing this hill are very well established. Most of the travelers on that highway
are moving toward the top.
Occasionally, you’ll see a person pulled over on the side of the road
with his hood up. Broken down, and
unable to succeed on this highway, he looks over in the distance and he sees a
trail. It’s a fairly wide,
well-traveled trail; two or three people could walk side by side. And there are quite a few people on
that trail making their way to the top.
He wants to get to the top, so this individual abandons the highway and
begins to walk over to that path.
As his journey progresses, he realizes that
there are obstacles, boulders, bushes, gullies…all kinds of things have to be
overcome or gotten around. Some
people will get discouraged, and go back and wait along the highway. Others will persevere, overcome the
obstacles, and make it to that path.
Once there, they find that it’s a very easy path to follow. Thousands have climbed the hill on this
trail. It is very well maintained.
Now, I would compare the Chemo-ality highway
(as the allopathic approach) and the trail (as the natural approach). Those seeking alternative healthcare
(for whatever reason) find themselves changing paths. Just as the journey between the highway and the paths was
not very easy, so is this change from Chemo-ality to the natural approach. Once on the path, however, the walk is
easy, as the path has been blazed, established and widened by hundreds and
thousands of previous herbalists and natural healthcare practitioners. They have developed and are using
well-established protocols for illness.
When you’re on the road with the Chemo-minion
crowd, they take responsibility for getting you to the top. You don’t have to take responsibility
for your own health. You just get in their car; it’s best if you don’t question
what is happening to you, or what body parts they want to remove. Eventually, you reach the top of the
hill, finding yourself not healthy, just at the end of the road. But wait! There are all kinds of things for you to play with! Scooters! Wheelchairs! Canes!
Chairs that will stand you up!
Oxygen bottles to carry!
Things for you to push around in front of you so you don’t have to stand
in lines! You can sit and be
comfortable while getting your medications (your drugs and chemicals).
The herbal/natural path is trodden smooth, by
foot. With each step the
individual takes, he makes a determination to do it, taking responsibility for
his own health. He receives advice
and counsel from the guides along the path, who have gone up and down this path
hundreds of times, helping people traveling to the top. At the top of the path, the individual
finds himself healthy, happy, and physically fit, having no baggage that they
could not carry themselves.
Remember this one thing: herbal therapy deals
with illness and disease, and solves the problem, unlike other so-called
“remedies” that deal with only pain and symptom relief.
In considering
information about an herb or an alternative therapy, perhaps these suggestions
will help:
1.
Does it make
sense?
a.
If you get
confused from all the facts, figures and data, their report has served a dual
purpose: that of confusing you and also of making you feel stupid in your
failure to comprehend their facts.
If they really wanted you to understand, don’t you think you
would?
2.
Who is
saying it?
a.
Are they an
Herbalist or an alternative health care practitioner with experience that can
be trusted?
b.
Are they
only a Medical Doctor, or a Pharmacist, with no other training? Trust them only about their fields if
expertise. An M.D. does not mean
they know all about all. Most of the time when they talk about herbs, they have
no clue as to the actual truth.
c.
Know that
most (99.9%) of the people that you come in contact with are affected by 4T
Syndrome, and so may be unable to hear you, let alone agree with you.
3.
Why are they
saying it?
a.
If an
alternative therapist (herbalist) found that an herb was not working to his
satisfaction and/or had less then desirable effects, he would use another. Medicinal herbs have been used for
centuries: they have been proven by the test of time. Safe is safe and no amount of retesting will change it.
4.
Suspect all
“newfound information” about a long used herb,
therapy, or alternative treatment.
a.
These people
would not trust Hippocrates himself, the so-called Father of Modern
Medicine. I think he would roll
over in his grave if he knew about what they truly do, and about the poisons
they dispense. After all,
Hippocrates was an herbalist.
5.
Are they
selling something? Is this some type of advertisement?
a.
Remember 4T
Syndrome! Try to not be affected
by it.