Word: herbalize
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Doctors have never quite figured out what to say about herbal supplements. While alternative medications have become increasingly popular--Americans will spend some $5 billion this year on natural remedies for everything from arthritis to the common cold--most physicians assumed that even if they didn't know exactly what these remedies did, they were, at worst, harmless. But more and more, doctors are starting to recognize that many natural supplements have medicinal qualities that can complement--or conflict with--the treatments and medications they prescribe...
Part of the problem is that herbal supplements and mainstream medicine come from two very different worlds and operate in different regulatory environments. The marketing of prescription and over-the-counter drugs is strictly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which requires scientific proof of safety and efficacy. Herbal remedies, by contrast, are largely exempt from FDA supervision. Companies can sell herbal preparations without guaranteeing that what's on the label is inside the bottle...
This is a bad idea. A drug your doctor prescribes could be perfectly safe and effective, but if you are taking a similar-acting supplement, there is a real danger of cross-reaction. Don't be afraid to bring your herbal supplements to your doctor's office. Your physician may spot a potential conflict on the label or know of another drug--or even another supplement--that works just as well...
Among those who tested positive for banned substances were Latvian rower Andris Reinholds, who said his nandrolone came from a Chinese herbal supplement, and German runner Dieter Baumann, who alleged that a rival had spiked his toothpaste with steroids. Baumann got the silver in Excuses (heavyweight class). Gold went to Uzbekistan track coach Sergei Voynov, who claimed he had brought a large quantity of growth hormone into the country to help with his hair loss...
...could the newfound commercial attention hurt the cause? "Sometimes, I wish the word dosha had never been discovered in the West," says Shafi Saxena, who founded Better Botanicals with her husband in 1995. The company's herbal products are based on Ayurvedic tenets. "I'm afraid it will discredit the system. Look at aromatherapy: everything that smelled good was aromatherapeutic." So while Ayurveda has lasted millennums in India, it remains to be seen how long it can withstand the American attention span...