If herbalists can't legally diagnose, then how do they go about correcting a specific ailment?

Question

Hi, I'm trying to gain an understanding of what a typical day is like for a consulting herbalist and what types of things herbalists are allowed to do. I've had no problem finding out the legal aspects of what herbalists CAN'T do, but I would like to know what herbalists CAN do.

If herbalists aren't allowed to diagnose, then how are they supposed to help correct a problem with a persons health? For example, if you were consulting with someone, and it was obvious that that person had candida overgrowth, would you not be able to even suggest to the person that you believed they might have candida overgrowth? Would you just recommend and suggest herbs and protocols that are 'believed' to help fight candida, without ever telling the person that you believed they had candida?

If there are any books or websites that specifically deal with the legal and business aspects of being an Herbalist consultant I would LOVE some recommendations. Thanks!

Answer 1

This is an interesting question. I believe that nearly all patients, when they arrive in a herbologist's practice, already have their diagnosis in hand from a medical doctor. They often arrive with their blood work, X-rays, MRIs and other tests. They know what is going on, and they've sought out the herbologist or nutrition therapist for that extra dimension of knowledge and specialized expertise that will help the healing process.

Furthermore, every herbologist I know is well-trained in adjunct therapies such as nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture and others. They've all studied biochemistry, anatomy, physiology. They're offering complimentary herbal therapies beyond what the busy MD, who hasn't time to study these, can provide.

It's nonsense to say that herbal remedies haven't changed in hundreds of years. In its broadest sense, the field of nutrition therapy, which includes herbology since herbs are plants, many foods are plants and the same phytochemicals exist in both, is expanding dramatically at present. In almost every medical school today, researchers are studying phytochemicals and nutraceuticals for their capacity to stabilize and even "help reverse certain disease states," as your correspondent Veg Ryan has written. It is said that what we are seeing right now is another era of astonishing discoveries, comparable to the great decades of vitamin discovery from the 1920s through the 1960s and 70s.

Consider the omega-3 essential fatty acids. These are being studied for their help with inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, cataracts, Alzheimer's, diabetes, obesity. In the herbologist's corner, we find these omega-3s in the plant purslane, regarded as a weed - but a few purslane recipes have recently cropped up in recipes in edgy magazines and leading newspapers.

Consider cardiovascular disease. In its early stages one can observe a good synergy between doctors today and nutrition therapists, because the best approach is lifestyle change through diet and exercise. Many doctors will send the cardio patient first to a nutrition therapist before loading on the powerful meds with their side effects. The herbologist has knowledge of specific plants - hawthorn, horsetail, garlic, lemon balm, flax seed oil - that can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, so she or he serves as a member of the team that will assist the patient in re-formatting his lifestyle.

With respect to your candida example, surely it would be hopelessly counter-productive to believe the patient has this, to recommend herbs and protocols, yet never to tell the patient what you're treating them for? This is perhaps a difficult example, because candida overgrowth, to best of my knowledge, is a condition not yet agreed-upon by western MDs, there are some who argue the idea is a fiction.

I have great respect for the MDs who will offer a suggestion that's outside the realm of western medicine. Usually they precede this by saying "some patients have told me that such-and-such can help." There's nothing in such a remark that compromises their professional training, they are simply passing on anecdotal information. Surely, in a herbologist's practice the same approach can be used.

Answer 2

You cannot diagnose, unless you're a ND (naturopathic doctor) and that depends on the state's law regarding NDs. Generally, each state has different laws regarding alternative medicine.

As for herbalists, they can only suggest and guide the patient.

Everything you said is correct in your statement... People would come to me and say, "my doctor diagnosed me with kidney disease. What herbs could HELP with kidney disease?" Then I would say something like, "Uva Ursi" etc. You can never state that an herb will CURE an ailment.

As for specific sites, I'm not sure.

Regards,
Ryan

PS - I disagree with using "texts from 100 years ago." That is simply untrue. There is a lot of research that goes on today into herbal medicine and 50% of the pharmaceuticals on the market are derived from herbal sources (eg... coumadin).

Medical schools (such as the one I attend, Univ of Arizona) even have an "integrated medicine" fellowship where an MD studies herbalism and uses alternative forms of therapy to address not only symptoms, but underlying causal effects. That, integrated with nutrition can help reverse certain disease states.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

they can not diagnose nor practice medicine
they are using symptoms and texts from 100's of years ago to Diagnose and treat symptoms not the underlying cause.
I would approach your interest as a off shute of your interest in helping people, nursing or medicien, first aid.
Most importantly, the "ethics" you display and practice allow you to at some point say "I Cant help you, you must seek a physician or psychiatrist".

Answer 5

I will go to qualified oncologist and follow his or her advise.

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