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AS SEEN IN THE FALL 2010 EDITION
You Want Me to Drink What?Common
Questions for An Herbalist in Frederick
By Ryan Diener, L.Ac., Dipl. CH, MSOM, Holistic Health Associates
Most
acupuncturists are known for better or worse as wielders of needles.
These needles scare some people and are viewed as blessings by others.
But it’s important to remember that Eastern (or oriental) medicine
involves much more than just acupuncture. In fact many acupuncturists
also specialize in herbalism, nutrition, Tai Chi/Qi Gong/Meditation,
and medical massage.
Indeed, focusing on acupuncture alone, as incredibly effective as the therapy is, is like focusing on lifting weights without cardio or stretching. You are probably not going to get a complete workout even though the weight lifting is great. Herbalism is a tradition that dates back more than 3,000 years. Much like local diets, herbs that grew naturally in areas around the world were cultivated, and as healing aids they were revered and honored for the properties they possessed. Looking around the modern world today, with few resource and geographic restraints, almost anything is possible. We have the privilege of being able to access western, eastern, ayurvedic (Indian), Japanese and Chinese herbal supplements, not to mention stones and minerals. Training for many acupuncturists includes Chinese herbal supplements which are a unique blend of plants and minerals native to China which can be combined to offer potent internal benefit to the individual. But, how do I know that taking herbs is safe? Until
recently, Food and Drug Administration regulations for ingestible food
and drugs did not address vitamins and herbal supplements. The cGMP
(current good manufacturing practice) guidelines
for dietary supplements were adopted in 2007. We are also working on a
legal designation specifically for herbal products as such a
designation exists already in Europe under the heading of Traditional
Medicine. Furthermore, most herbalists will have information
about
how these products are cultivated and prepared as well as information
about the companies that manufacture them.
So how effective can these herbs be? Modern
medicine has done more to increase life expectancy than anything else
in history and it is still the best option in acute, life threatening
situations and many other difficult to manage health crises
and for this we should all be grateful. But there also seems to be over
consumption of these medicines, and apparent side effects from long
term use.
Herbal therapy is based on the principal of creating more optimal conditions for our internal environments to function in. Think of herbs as tinctures or capsules of vegetables that can have a positive effect on the body, but are not the actual cure. In this way, the herbalist works with the body to create the conditions for healing, and works with the individual to make the choices necessary to maintain those conditions. Essentially herbal therapy is a treatment for chronic issues, recovery from acute issues, and prevention through boosting of the immune system. Pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, are most appropriate in acute or extreme situations. Earlier this year, the National Institutes of Health presented three studies of the positive effects of herbal formulas to arthritis, allergies and even life expectancy. How should herbs be administered? There are 4 common ways to ingest herbs. The
least common method is to send the patient home with loose or raw bag
of roots, seeds, minerals, etc., that the patient cooks into a liquid
they drink several times a day as though it were a cup
of tea. This method tends to be strong in effectiveness, but is time
consuming to prepare and difficult to drink based on taste and amount
required.
More commonly, granulated herbs are administered in the form of a powder that the patient adds a few ounces of water to and drinks two to four times a day. Because less liquid is involved, this is considered an easier option. Still, it’s not uncommon for the patient to ask “you want me to drink what?” Liquid tinctures are another common option. These are brewed teas that get reduced into a small concentrated amount, often requiring only a few teaspoons of liquid a day much like they might take cough syrup. The most common method of administering herbs is to use patent formulas that get ingested as tablets or capsules. This is the easiest for Americans who are accustomed to swallowing pills, but tends to be the least concentrated. As a result it’s not uncommon for a patient to be prescribed dosages of nine to 12 capsules a day of a single formula. Please remember: it’s important to work with an herbalist and not self‐diagnose. One of the ways to create more legitimacy in the herbal world is to take the correct formula, and working with an herbalist is the way to greatly increase the chances that this will happen. So, if you’re ready for an herbalist, it’s time to become drug free and notice the difference it makes in your life!
Ryan
Diener is an acupuncturist and herbalist who became cofounder and
Director of Holistic Health Associates in downtown Frederick. Ryan
enjoys teaching, counseling and working with his patients to improve
their mental and physical wellbeing, and engaging them to live up to
their highest potentials. He may be contacted at Acupuncture
Frederick MD or (301) 6201414.
Reprinted
with Permission.
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