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A January 15, 2007 CBS television news report left the impression that herbs are ineffective, unsafe and even dangerous. The report was really a promotional piece for a book by author Dan Hurley titled - Natural Causes: Death, Lies and Politics in America’s Vitamin and Herbal Supplement Industry.

He made this dogmatic statement on the CBS report - “There’s no good evidence these products are safe and effective and there’s plenty of evidence that many of these products are unsafe, ineffective or both,” says science and medical writer Dan Hurley.”

What does the Real Scientific Medical Literature say about Herbs?

This book and news report is sham science at its best. The bias against safe and effective therapies with herbs and nutrition does a disservice to people who are ill, and in need of safe, effective, non-toxic treatments.

So - “award-winning journalist specializing in health and medical writing” (who has written for the New York Times), - Mr. Hurley, let’s look at a few of the most studied herbs. Let’s see if you really researched the facts or if your dogmatic statements and scare mongering about the effectiveness and safety of herbal therapies are true. Your credibility and integrity is on the line.

St. John’s Wort

Gee I guess you missed the ‘gold standard’ for clinical trials- The Cochrane Collaboration and their Cochrane Review for St. John’s Wort (hypericum). You would have found this comment in 2005 on a review of 37 studies that met their high standards. “Trials comparing hypericum extracts and standard antidepressants were statistically homogeneous.” In other words this herb was equivalent to pharmaceuticals in effectiveness.

Hmm maybe this is the reason this herb has 80% market share; I mean 80% of the prescriptions in Germany for depression. We can’t have that happen here, Big Pharma would be upset.

Gingko Biloba

The European Journal of Neurology in September 2006 reported in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study that Ginkgo was as effective as the drug donepezil in Alzheimers. In fact the herb Ginkgo biloba is sold and regulated as a drug in Germany.

Galantamine

A 653 patient study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in December of 2000, reported that galantamine slowed the decline in both cognition and functional ability in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s patients.

‘Just The Facts Man’

Interestingly, if herbs are as ineffective as critics say then why has this herb Galantamine been granted FDA approval for sale as a prescription drug under the brand name Razadyne (formerly Reminyl). Don’t you find it ironic that galantamine is recognized as a drug but is still available without a prescription? Naturally, pun intended.

This powerful propaganda war against herbs by ‘Big Pharma’, their media allies like CBS and authors like Hurley creates cynicism in the public. As Hurley noted in polls that - “found that only 9 percent of consumers believe that drug makers are basically honest.” This was due to the 1990’s reports on the FDA’s cozy relationship with these companies.

A more balanced book to read would be - The Whole Story: Alternative Medicine On Trial? by Toby Murcott .

Comments from reviews of Murcott’s book - “This book should be prescribed for bigots on both sides…” –Guardian (Thursday Science Supplement)

“Murcott reveals how much of what we take as scientific fact is imbued with subjectivity, bias, misinterpretation or simply asking the wrong questions.”–The Lancet (Medical Journal)

I just touched on a few of ‘the facts’ of herbal scientific studies and their effectiveness that destroy the “bigot” Hurley’s credibility. These studies show the ‘Big Lie’ of this book that the TV report foisted on an unsuspecting public that is bombarded on a regular basis with like propaganda.

In a future post I’ll ‘Show You The Science’ on the safety of so-called dangerous herbs and discuss the over-the-top feature of the fake patient on the CBS telecast and in Hurley’s book.

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Dennis Cutforth is a researcher and writer with over 35 years experience in health-care sales, marketing and research in pharmaceuticals and natural health. Dennis will cut through all the propaganda and give you the real facts about what really works to make you healthier and happier. Visit his website at Get A Better Life Today.

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A thoughtful commentary a year ago by George Johnson in the New York Times titled – “The Nitpicking of the Masses vs. the Authority of the Experts”, discusses the authors newfound reliance on the “mercurial upstart called Wikipedia” versus the “old and steadfast” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Johnson stated - 

“The idea that perfection can be achieved solely through deliberate effort and centralized control has been given the lie.…”

The gist of the article is that the “centralized control” by those with knowledge in this case the Encyclopaedia Britannica isn’t necessarily that much better than the decentralized Wikipedia and some case left wanting because it can’t be as up to date.

The differences in the two sources, is really the difference from the two encyclopedias origins. Johnson comments – “The question is whether to trust an encyclopedia that evolves like an organism or one that was designed like a machine.”

Wikipedia is a living creature due to constant updating by dedicated “inexpert Wikipedians” as he calls them. These are individuals who are ‘for truth, justice and the American way’ I might add due to their not being bought and paid for by ‘vested interests’ as I’ve discussed previously. They are of the Internet Age and reflect the new found freedom from authoritarian dogma of the past a la Encyclopaedia Britannica. He finds himself relying on both.

“Wikipedia’s rough-edged entries on science are often more detailed and current than the ones in Britannica….”
He goes on – “It seems natural that over time, thousands, then millions of inexpert Wikipedians - even with an occasional saboteur in their midst - can produce a better product than a far smaller number of isolated experts ever could.”

This is borne out by the study that he comments on from Nature. Which “…showed that the decision is far from clear-cut. Calling on experts to compare 42 competing entries, the journal counted an average of four errors per article in Wikipedia - and three in Britannica. That is not much of a difference, and a look at the details only adds to the anxiety. A fact is surely a fact, but what constitutes an error can be as hard to pin down as a bead of mercury.”

As far as trust goes, he states - “Whatever their shortcomings, neither encyclopedia appears to be as error-prone as one might have inferred from Nature, and if Britannica has an edge in accuracy, Wikipedia seems bound to catch up.”

Old and Steadfast Medicine vs. Mercurial Upstart Alternative Medicine
So-called Conventional Medicine and its “old and steadfast” ways of “centralized” information that only the experts posses (so you must listen to them about what’s best for your health); is coming to an end. This is because “mercurial upstart” Alternative Medicine websites with its “inexperts” are providing better more up-to-date information that is relevant to peoples chronic ill-health conditions. They are not bought and paid for by the vested interests.

Wikipedia was listed in the top ten for terms searched in Google for 2006. Ironically, Johnson concludes – “Meanwhile the competition has some catching up to do. While Wikipedia includes a good, balanced article on the history of Britannica, Britannica has not a word to say about Wikipedia, as it rapidly becomes one of the most significant phenomena on the Net”

Britannica has at least taken the high road of not saying anything about Wikidupedia unlike the self-appointed pontificating critics of Alternative Medicine. Groups like Quackwatch and various Skeptics, use attack techniques rather than rational dialogue. I’ll address their modus operandi in the future.

Many of us feel like Mr. Johnson because we need to rely on both the ‘Old and Steadfast Medicine and the Mercurial Upstart Alternative Medicine’. They both have a place. You need more than a few herbs if you have an emergency or need surgery. Look for more information at this site to help you look at both medicines, objectively.

As Alternative Medicine also “rapidly becomes one of the most significant phenomena on the Net”, to borrow a line from Johnsons article; and as you know - You Can’t Put The Genie Back In The Bottle.

In an article titled “Convention meets alternative, Doctors increasingly cater to patients’ holistic health-care desires” by Cecilia Oleck of the Detroit Free Press on February 13, 2007, she discusses how “the medical profession is scrambling to catch up to” the baby boomers.

Medicine is “scrambling” because people don’t want horse-buggies, they want cars, so to speak. The baby boomers, unlike their parents, are better educated and less enamored by the white coat syndrome of the Medical Establishment.

In fact many physicians are coming around to the truism stated by Dr. Albert Schweitzer (1875 - 1965) many years ago: “Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.” Physicians should assist the bodies own healing powers.

Olek states in her article: “Fueled by aging baby boomers looking to exert more control over their health care, the alternative health industry has grown into an estimated $47 billion annual business, prompting more traditional health care providers to look at some of the therapies and incorporate them into their practices. Many hospitals offer such services.” [Financial considerations wouldn’t be the reason for their interest would it?]

Physicians like Richard Herman, an obstetrician/gynecologist, are “taking therapies from the fringes of health care into mainstream medical circles” Olek continued and quotes Herman as saying, “People are looking for a better way.” [I’ll say!]

Ms. Oleck remarked “Much of what is considered alternative or complementary medicine is aimed at preventing illness, allowing the body to heal itself naturally and caring for a person’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs…”

“Even the name “alternative” - used to describe therapies outside the scope of traditional medicine - can be misleading now, says Mayo Clinic physician Brent Bauer. As more health-care providers offer such services, it makes sense to refer to the therapies as complementary or integrative.”

Dr. Bauer has even come out with a book titled - The Mayo Clinic Guide to Alternative Medicine noting: “I suspect in a few more years we’ll just drop all the labels and we’ll just talk about good medicine.” Amen to that!

Maybe the real reason many in Medicine have finally seen the light, is because patients will go elsewhere if they don’t provide these “good medicine” services. Two studies confirmed, ‘Conventional Medicines’ loss of ‘market share’, oops - I mean visits of ‘patients’ to Alternative Medicine practitioners. The first study was in 1993 in the New England Journal of Medicine and in a follow-up study in 1998 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

As the patient discussed in the article articulated, “I would rather see what I could do holistically before pumping myself with medicines.”

But really what’s happening here is as Dr. Bauer concluded “…there’s a way to do it better.” I agree, ‘Integrating’ (which the physicians in the article recognize) non-toxic ‘Complementary and Alternative’ therapies can only enhance the ‘customer’, sorry - the ‘patients’ experience (bold added).

The scary news just keeps on coming. The latest is a report from ABC News that shows the enemy within – parasites. See the report and video.

As the article states over “55-million Americans harbor intestinal parasites at some time during their lives.” And that ” Some health experts believe you may silently be being robbed. ..of your health.”

Having parasites set up residence in your body can make you nutritionally deficient and may be the underlying reason for your health problems like fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, inability to lose weight etc.

The article features a patient with the latter problem that got results when she listened to a nutritionist and not a physician. Nothing worked for her until she tried this ‘Alternative Medicine’ approach and now she’s “an energetic 54 year old, but that wasn’t always the case…[and] has shed 85 pounds.

PhD Nutritionist Ann Louise “Gittleman said Ziegler’s story is not uncommon and said she has seen parasites cause a host of physical ailments…bloating, constipation, diarrhea, certain types of sugar abnormalities, problems with the skin the won’t clear up, teeth clenching at night where you are constantly grinding your teeth. I’d also say conditions with being overweight. The inability to lose weight can all be related to parasites,” said Gittleman.

The Proof is in the Pudding.

As usual to create balance Barbara Smith, the author talked to an expert from ‘Conventional Medicine’ who pooh poohed and downplayed the importance of parasites as a health problem.
“Local parasitologist Dr. James Jensen, agrees with Gittleman as to how many may get certain types of parasites, but he’s extremely skeptical of Gittleman’s recommendation of an herbal cleanse.” He also stated –

“While it is true that we have medications for most parasitic infections [very caustic drugs, I might add], I am not familiar with any literature or any evidence whatsoever that over the counter remedies will ever cure a parasitic infection. That includes herbal remedies of all kinds,” said Jensen.

Well sir if your “not familiar”, GET FAMILIAR with the ‘Scientific Alternative Medicine Literature on Herbal Remedies for Parasites’! It really isn’t that difficult if you get off your ‘holier than thou Medical Establishment pedestal’ that says only caustic drugs by ‘Big Pharma’ will do the job.

Try for instance the study in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, this small study showed that all patients who’s parasites were ‘resistant to drugs’ responded to a herbal preparation. Frankly I’d be more ’skeptical’ of a ‘parasitologist’ who prescribes caustic drugs rather than spends the time and effort to learn about and look up the nontoxic approach.

Unfortunately not enough labs can properly test for parasites. I was to every specialist you can think of with my severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and their testing found nothing. It turned out I was one of the so-called few with parasites who was successfully treated with the non-prescription “over the counter”.…’herbal remedies’ that this “parasitologist” is “not familiar” with. So these remedies CAN CURE “a parasitic infection”.

These remedies have been around for hundreds of years but can’t be patented by ‘Big Pharma’ so this physician wouldn’t be familiar with them – naturally!

So see an Integrative Medicine physician or natural healer if nothing seems to be getting you better and send the Parasitic Predators Packing!

Herbal/Natural Remedies for colds are under attack again as being ineffective. These reports are dated Feb. 9th 2007. But as usual in this post we dig up the facts to help you through your day especially if your day includes a cold.

Here are the headlines and the quotes.

Science: Little proof that herbal cold remedies work. Carla K. Johnson, The Associated Press, Tuscaloosa News,

“Herbal remedies have been used to treat illness and promote health for thousands of years - and that’s enough evidence for some people during cold and flu season.

But what is the scientific evidence for alternative cold and flu remedies, such as echinacea, ginseng and zinc? Dr. Ronald Turner, a cold virus expert at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, says the evidence is weak. But Turner doesn’t try to discourage people from spending their money on remedies they think make them feel better, as long as there are no harmful side effects.” (bold added)

Cold remedies - do they work? By Chris Swingle, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Enquirer.com

“Most lack proof from large-scale, scientific studies. The label’s typical fine print: The claims have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The product “is not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent any disease.” (bold added)

So, there you have it, the definitive statement for Herbal/Natural Remedies for colds:

“Most lack proof from large-scale, scientific studies”, well do the studies already. Or “the evidence is weak” So don’t head down to your local pharmacy or health food store to relieve your miserable symptoms.

“One of the things that permits people to believe in unproven therapies is that it really doesn’t matter what you take because you’re going to get better anyway,” Turner said. Johnson reports.

Easy for Dr. Turner to say! Who wants to live with the symptoms of a cold if you don’t have to!

So what’s a person to do?

Interestingly this is one time that the Medical Establishment has been as even handed with Herbal/Natural Remedies as it has been with Drug Cough and Cold Remedies.

Ron Eccles and his colleagues at the Common Cold Centre (CCC), a clinical research organisation based at the University of Cardiff, U.K. pointed out: “While OTC cough medicines are effective, they’re probably not much more effective than a very good placebo.” Chemistry World, November 2003, Royal Society of Chemists.

According to the Mayo Clinic’s site – “Now scientists have put chicken soup to the test, discovering that it does seem to help relieve cold and flu symptoms…” More than placebo, and more than most over the counter pharmaceutical remedies, I might add.

Rather than debate the pros and cons of Herbal/Natural Remedies I’d just like to mention a couple of ways that are even a better approach.

Herbal/Natural Remedies work best as a prevention from colds because if you tend to ‘catch a lot of colds’ you need them to build up your immune system.

However, the best I’ve seen for prevention and treatment for colds/flues are homeopathic remedies.

Despite the (I’ll bite my tongue) skeptics (who only accept the ‘Big Pharma - Medical Establishment’ brand of so-called ‘Scientific Medicine’ and totally dismiss other healing arts even if there are ‘Scientific Studies’ that prove they work); there are studies that show a Homeopathic remedy works for the treatment of colds.

The Cochrane Library, is the Medical Scientific Communities ‘Gold Standard’ for Evidenced-Based Health Care’ because they only accept the best studies. Here’s their comments on the Homeopathic remedy Cold-Eeze. -

“Zinc gluconate glycine lozenges are safe and well tolerated by a geriatric population and are suitable for prophylactic or therapeutic use to reduce the duration or severity of the common cold.”

So, there take that you naysayers! If and when I have a cold my first choice is a Homeopathic remedy.

“However, taking homoeopathic Oscillococcinum once you have influenza might shorten the illness, but more research is needed.”

Rite Care Pharmacies website lists 4 ‘RANDOMIZED PLACEBO CONTROLLED STUDIES WITH Oscillococcinum THAT SHOW IT WORKS’.

The jury is still out for prevention of the flu with this and other similar products. But as far as I’m concerned they work. Influenzinum works well, but for my money though, Muccococinum is an even better treatment and preventative for the flu.

Despite the negative reviews of Alternative Medicine - Herbal/Natural Remedies for the common cold, if you know where to look you can find ‘alternatives’ to these with other proven Alternative Medicines – Homeopathic Remedies.