Why use unproven medicines from plants when there are so many tested proven medicines?

Question

There are thousands of proven and tested medicines made from chemicals that can be reproduced exactly each time. Why use alternative medicine? Nature can't teach us anything new.

Excellent Answers. Please keep them coming.

Thank you.These are exceptional answers. Byderule has let the cat out of the bag. I was acting as devil's advocate and wow has it produced great results. It would be really great if you can keep the answers coming.

Alternative health is a moral and ethical system. By considered observation of nature and natural systems alternative health practitioners recognize and use patterns and natural principles to design sustainable solutions to every day problems. Alternative health may not be defined as one discipline. It is the connecting system between disciplines. It is a whole systems approach to living. The whole is greater than it's sum of parts so diversity is key. Alternative health ethics of Earth care, Fair Shares and People Care support and rely on reciprocity.

Alternative health demonstrates that all relationships are reciprocal. We can use Systems Theory from Social work (Meyer, 1983:29-30). This approach recognizes the interrelatedness of people and their environments. It seeks a balanced approach for best, not perfect, fit.

Systems theory demonstrates the relationship between the person, the family, community along with the social, economic and political environment that people are also part of. Systems Theory states that a person functions as part of many systems and that each of these systems are equally affected by the system itself and equally it itself effects the system. A change in one part of the system has consequences for other systems or parts of that system. The core aims of all systems is to seek balance and attain goals. Problems occur when there is a poor fit between the person and the systems which they are part of.

It recognizes that all systems have boundaries and are made of of subsystems and that all systems creates feedback. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts (Hoffman and Sallee, 1994) System theory seeks partnership in participation. It recognizes that practitioners facilitate change but are not expert. The person themselves is unique so is expert in their own problem and environment. It recognizes social connections and is holistic.

As you can see I support Alternative Health practice. I am demonstrating that Permaculture and other disciplines have the same principles and ethics. See my answer to Byderule's question 'Should Permaculture be a Sub-Category of Environment'. I have changed the words Alternative Health with Permaculture. We are more similar than different and should work together for the same aims. Thank you. Amazing Answers. And yes, I am into herbal medicine for those who noticed my name. Thanks belladonnadeadlynightshade.

Answer 1

Here's just a partial listing of drugs of natural origin used TODAY. Some 25% of the current USPS is botanical or animal in origin and this doesn't even begin to include mineral-based meds. In the 1800's the percentage of medicines that were botanical or animal in origin was closer to 80%. During one of the World Wars (sorry to be so imprecise...I'll look up which one later.), the Russians ran out of sulpha drugs during a pneumonia epidemic. They had to resort to using garlic and other "home remedies". When the Russian physicians checked their survival vs. death rates, they found they had MUCH better rates of survival w/ garlic and home remedies than they did w/ the sulpha drugs. Go ahead. Tell me herbal medicine doesn't work, and that all herbalists and alternative practitioners are quacks. Go ahead. Tell me.

1) Aspirin (originally from Salix species of White Willow; used to treat pain, inflammation, etc.)
2) Vincristine (used to treat Childhood Leukemia; comes from Madagascar Periwinkle)
3) Quinine (used to treat Malaria; comes from Qhinchona and Quassia barks)
4) Morphine, codeine, laudanum (used in treatment of intractible pain; comes from sap of opium poppy)
5) Insulin (originally from pork, cow and sheep pancreases; was life-saving in its day; now is genetically engineered)
6) Heparin (used to treat DVT and blood clots in other sites; originally from bovine and porcine sources; another life saver!)
7) Castor oil (used in midwifery to bring on labor)
8) Senna, cascara sagrada (used as laxatives)
9) Psyllium husks (used as fiber supplement)
10) A drug called BCNU from Scutellaria Baicalensis derived from the root of Baikal Scullcap and is used to treat Brain Cancers in humans.
11) Digitalis (used to treat heart arrhythias, and as a cardiac stimulant; comes from Foxglove; used in this country since 1775 by whites, and long, long before by native peoples)
12) Epinephrine (comes from Ephedra, ma huang, Brigham tea and other related plants; now synthesized as Pseudoepinephrine; used to treat asthma, allergies, sinus conditions and other lung and adrenal disorders)
13) Paregoric (also from opium poppies; used to treat diarrhea)
14) Curare (used to as a paralyzing agent in surgeries and intubations; comes from the skin of an Amazonian Rain Forest frog)
15) Malt Soupex; maltex; maltose (from barley malt; used to this day to loosen bowels, aid in treatment of constipation)
16) Penicillin (derived from a mold, which is a plant folks; used to kill bacteria and to treat bacterial infections)
17) Reserpine (derived from an Asian shrub; used to treat high blood pressure

This is just the merest tip of the iceberg. Folks NEED to remember that the AMA came into existence NOT to protect the public, but as a lobbying, trade union of sorts and governing agency to protect doctors, and to put all other competitors--chiropractors, herbalists, midwives, naturopaths--out of business. Just b/c something is "new" or "scientific" or "FDA approved", does NOT mean it's been tested enough, is without side effects, or that it's good for you.

PS: Herbs CAN and do have side effects folks, so please don't kid yourselves about that.

Answer 2

That is where you are incorrect. These natural remedies have been around for centuries where the FDA approved drugs have only been around for a few decades.

In naturopathic medicine we treat the root of the problem. We seek balance in the body so they won't become seriously ill that does require pharmaceutical grade medications that only treat the symptoms in the long run not the illness.

You also have to look at the big picture these FDA drugs also produce some serious side effects that cause other complications where the benefits sometimes don't out weigh the risks.

FDA drugs are perfect for the more life threatening critically ill patient but for the individual who has a case of heartburn or is having trouble sleeping why take a drug that causes stomach upset or addiction. When I could take a teaspoon of yellow mustard with some melatonin without the side effects and it works.

That is where you are wrong. The very first conventional medical doctors didn't use drugs they used procedures that most often killed their patients. It was the homeopaths that used nature and herbs that healed and helped the quality of life. Until recently alternative medicine took a back burner because these drugs companies candy coat everything. People don't want the high costs or the horrible side effects from these drugs so they are turning back toward the alternative direction. People just want to be healthy.

Answer 3

Chemical medicines are made by Pharmaceutical companies
They do not get rich by healthy people so they may invent complaints, that they can then cured.

But not always
There have been scandals of remedies that kill rather than cure
as with Aids and the Asian Flue
Ebola is also suspect
And so is the PH in popular drinks and mayor water supplies

Remember that the large pharmaceutical companies are free mason owned
Their Agenda ,according to a spokes man of the Bilderberg group in 1998 in Copenhagen ,demanded a reduction of the world population by 60%.

Would you trust your life in the hands of these people
I would rather go to a witchdokter using ancient herbs than remedies from these guys.

And all of the Medicens come from Nature even the chemical ones are based on Knowledge from Nature

Nature will never teach us all there is to know
We are far to dumb for that
I think we have gone backwards since the Olmecs ,they knew far more than we do to day

And stop causing riots Belladona i know where your sympathies lie I dont believe it is with the Iluminati

take it easy amembal4444 she is just goading us on .

And WoW to calyx156 very good answer.

Answer 4

Yes you are right, thousands of medicines from chemicals are made each year and more keep coming. Have you ever wondered what made scientists make these chemicals?
Why synthesize these chemicals ?
Modern science is based on nature and what nature has given us. What is the modern medicine available for malaria? The organic medicine is quinine the age old tested and proven formula for malaria. What are vaccines? Have you ever given a thought? What herbal medicines are new? They are old proven and tested remedies.
NOW WHICH HERBAL MEDICINES OR NATURAL MEDICINES GIVE YOU THE SIDE EFFECTS --- MODERN MEDICINES HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN YOU - EVEN A MODEST ASPIRIN DOES?
I WILL NEED AN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION FROM YOU.

Answer 5

Quite the contrary. Nature is our prime medicine chest we have much to learn, and much it can teach us..

Until WWll, Garlic and sulphur powder was used in the trenches to heal wounds, anti biotics weren't heard of then.
The branches from willow (Salix species) has long been know cure for aches and pains. this is where the active constituents for Aspirin were first taken.

In the rain forest there are plants which are being discovered to cure many ills including stemming the ravages of HIV AIDS.

To say nature cannot teach us anything new is a naive statement. Nature is our medicine chest it gives us everything we need. The pharmaceutical companies cannot clone as precisely as they would wish.
Yes, I agree that there are variables in natures treasure trove, and the drug companies can make their potions batch after batch with precision, but they got their ideas/formulae from nature in the first place. And they have capitalised on it.
How many lives have they wrecked with their experimentation - trying to perfect their copies of the real thing?
I firmly believe that there is a place for both regular medicine and complimentary (or alternative) medicine to work side by side.

Answer 6

Toots, most of those so-called chemical based drugs is based and their foundation on the natural plants. Anyways, ARE YOU keeping up with the news, Almost everyday one will hear how this drugs is okay then a few months, years time later it's recalled, dangerous, numerous side effects.

You're right NATURE can't teach us anything NEW because it's been the FIRST lesson and the standard and principle.

Doctors and Pharamists are staying away from natural stuff 'cause it basically cures and just subsides the symptoms.

Answer 7

The problem with human beings are that our bodies are adaptive. We adapt to the environments in which we live. In ancient times, we were nomadic, and we would receive a well rounded diet because we moved from place to place and found different varieties of food and nutritional components in each location. As our bodies adapted to one set of environmental conditions, we would move to another area and this would result in well rounded diets. We got all our medicinal and nutritional needs from plants we could either take internally or use topically.

As civilization grew, Pharmacology learned to create medicinal compounds from studying plants, food we ate, and the known history of the usage of those plants. There are (probably) millions of uses that have yet to be addressed (documented, studied, tested) by our scientific method, and there are as many or more that have been forgotten in the annals of time and lost with lost civilizations.

Science will probably never catch up to the wonder and goodness that nature can provide.

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Answer 8

Actually the use of herbs has been tested and has been used for hundreds possibly thousands of years longer than synthetic medicines. Plus when you use herbs you tend to have less side effect....I don't know about you but some of us worry about taking a diarrhea medicine that has 2 pages of warnings and side effects so small we can't read them. Just curious with a name like belladonna you obviously already know this so why are you asking.

Answer 9

some of these proven medicines aren't really 100% safe for use in the general population. Some ppl may develop allergies, side effects etc if they have underlying conditions. That's y most medicines come with labels stating side effects, contraindications like 'not for pregnant women' or 'not suitable for diabetics'..

Answer 10

Wow have we ever been brain washed!
You can't seriously believe that !
most AMA approved drugs derived from Natures source. But they are just that Drugs / Chemicals that are synthetic and not the same, only have a similar effect, on the body. Natures knowledge has only been touched upon, there is a world out there that was provided for humans to live in harmony with, it offers us ALL of what we need to live sucessfully on the planet. AMA is a money making org. that has only that in mind - not your health or longevity; their interest is only to stop the symptoms by selling you a pill, it is not to find the cause and remove it to actually cure you and restore your original state of good health as is the intention of Alternative Med.
There are many many Natural companies that do indepth reasearch and provide compounds that are just as regulated in quality and quanity as any of the government boy drug companies.
You need a reality check! I'd start by getting your nose out of the gov. approved media spin and do some old fashion investivagative reading on your own.
We can cure our body with the power of our mind, and assist and support that with natures helpers.

Answer 11

Medicine and herbs are just tools to accomplish what we can do with our own minds. If you use these tools incorrectly you can permanently cause damage to your ability to create these effects within yourself with your mind. If you use these tools correctly you can expand the power of your meditations and focus into many realms. For the most part. natural plants are better tools to use. People don't realise the incredible pharmacopeia surrounding them. most people are so desensitized to the effects of the plants around us that they might as well just go to sleep forever and leave this earth.