Can Herbs Heal?

by WiredBerries Editors — January 4, 2008

"Herbs and other natural remedies can be as effective as traditional treatments, often without the same negative side effects," says Roberta Lee, MD, medical director of the Continuum Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Conventional medical practitioners and drugmakers tend to frown upon self-healing with herbal remedies for several reasons:

• Not all herbal remedies have been proven to be effective

• Herbs can be as potent as a prescription drug but not everyone monitors dosages accurately, and herbs are not regulated like drugs are

• You can't patent a natural substance, so there's no "money" in it

Even so, many herbs have been scientifically tested and found to be safe and effective at curing a wide variety of ailments. In a recent German study of type-2 diabetics, taking cinnamon extract daily successfully reduced blood sugar by about 10%, for example.

Rosemary has been found to combat carcinogens. HCA levels are significantly reduced when rosemary extract (a common powder) is mixed into beef before cooking, say Kansas State University researchers. "Rosemary contains carnosol and rosemarinic acid, two powerful antioxidants that destroy the HCAs," explains lead researcher J. Scott Smith, PhD.

St. John's Wort helps to soothe worries. Research has confirmed this herb's power to relieve mild to moderate depression and anxiety as effectively as many drugs--without the side effects. St. John's Wort also contains melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycles, and increases the body's own melatonin, improving sleep, says a report from the Surgeon General.