Herbal Supplements: Research First, Buy Last

Alternative medicine is a fast-growing industry In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, over 1/3 of Americans are using complementary medicines, a number that is only expected to grow. As usual, when a "new" trend or technology emerges, it often gains popularity and users faster than the knowledge can spread. A new product will surface, someone will try it, it works for them, and they tell their friends, who try it, and it works for some or not as well, who in turn tell their friends.... What knowledge is passed along those lines? As in the old game of Telephone, where children sit in a circle and whisper a message throughout, the original words get garbled or completely lost after only a few kids down the line. You should know where I'm going with this, as it's practically my theme song. Before trying anything new, DO YOUR RESEARCH!! Now, most herbal supplements aren't going to harm the average person, but the wrong one won't do much for you either. Why spend hundreds of dollars a year on something that isn't helping you? Doing research will do several things for you.

1. You will learn what herb will help you and which one won't. This is a big deal. You shouldn't take passionflower if you're looking for something to keep you awake and alert, and you shouldn't take an herb that helps expel extra fluids, when you're having a severe "dry" issue.

2. You will learn how much, how often, and how long to take a supplement. I cannot stress this enough! You know that saying, "too much of a good thing"? Well, it definitely applies here. Let's take a fairly common herb as an example, one that is growing in popularity: Dandelion. Long term use of dandelion may deplete potassium stores. When you bought your dandelion extract or pills or tea off the shelf at your favorite store, did the box warn you of this? Probably not. How about essential oils? Did anyone ever warn you that all essential oils are toxic to ingest? Not the nice lady that was selling them, most likely, or your friend that gave you a miracle recipe using essential oils that you are supposed to drink twice a day.

Herbal supplements are not supposed to be used long term. They are a supplement, an addition to a whole-health lifestyle. Find out what is causing your personal issues, and go from there.

3. What worked for your friend, may not work for you. Everyone is different, everyone metabolizes chemicals and proteins differently, every single person has built up a specific number of receptors in their brain for certain phytochemicals. The reason you have inflammation is probably not the same reason your friend has inflammation. Do your homework and find out why your body is imbalanced, and find out which herb is best for your body!

4. No, not ALL herbs are safe for EVERYONE! A while back, your friend was really depressed, and they started taking regular doses of St. John's Wort, a well known herb that is remarkably beneficial in combating depression. Your friend tells you that they were told it was completely safe, and now that you (or another of your friends) is combating depression, you need to try this herb. Now keep in mind, I'm using St. John's Wort as an extreme example, because of all the herbs I've come across, it has the most warnings and negative drug-herb interactions. What your friend didn't know was that you are taking heart or thyroid medication. In this instance, St. John's Wort is never something you should ingest. St. John's Wort has also only been documented to help mild to moderate depression, and unfortunately doesn't help with severe depression. There are so many factors that go into the decision of whether or not to take this one herb, that surely, you would want to do your research and make sure it's the right one for you.

I know that so many people just want to take something, anything, if there is even a remote chance it will help them with their issues, but doing things that way is not going to help your body. Save yourself some time, money, and hassle. Doing just a bit of research will help so much more than just buying what your friend told you to buy.

Talk to someone who is knowledgeable about herbs and possible body reactions.

Find reputable sources on the internet (Wiki is not reputable).

Find a nurse or doctor who has taken herbal or alternative studies.

Go to your library and find books on the subject.

Look on sites like Google Scholar, where there are thousands of peer reviewed articles.