Modern Science’s Forgotten Proof of the Efficacy of Herbs and Homeopathics, by Chelsea Kent
It’s not uncommon for people to be skeptical of the benefits, or even the efficacy, of herbs and homeopathy for themselves and their pets, sometimes leading people to discount their healing potential altogether, or, at the very least, fear that holistic alternatives are not strong or quick enough to handle modern health concerns. If people believed fully in the power and intelligence of the body and the earth’s substances the pharmaceutical industry would most certainly be out of business as it’s illegal to patent and hugely profit off unprocessed earth-made resources. People adopt that herbs/homeopathics are not scientifically proven and, thus, potentially unsafe to use, especially in times of crisis (when you are a vulnerable, emotional caretaker). Disappointingly, modern science obfuscates associations between herbs/homeopathics vs “scientifically researched, documented, placebo controlled, double-blind universally known facts” about synthetically created products (hmm… what do you know… science is often only willing to say that products made by science are scientifically proven… that’s convenient).
What is a Homeopathic? A homeopathic is a product made of the energy of a substance, diluted to indiscernibly small amounts, allowing the body to utilize the non-toxic, rudimentary “information” supplied by herbs and other natural substances.
The science of a digestive tract: Whether pet or human, what is the digestive system, with all its teeth, saliva, acids, enzymes, hormones, prebiotics, probiotics, bacteria (on and on) if not a system to break food down into homeopathics? Elementary science teaches us the process of how the digestive tract breaks foods down, nourishes the body, and then creates stool and urine. We are familiar with the generalities of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and sometimes more complicated hormones and enzymes but education on certain details is commonly neglected.
Did you know that there are trillions of atoms in the smallest speck you can see? According to the Engineers at Washington University there are 100 Trillion atoms in a single human cell (3). One single Vitamin C molecule is the size of a mere 20 atoms (4). On a molecular level, it’s suggested that a person would need an exorbitant 6 x 1023 moles x 34,000 x 1,000 mcls a day of Vitamin A, something the body needs fairly little of!!! To our big eyes though, a 150lb human would reach toxicity at less than 1% of one teaspoon. The digestive system essentially works to peel off the husk of a food substance, pull out the infinitesimal nutrients, their energy, knowledge, “spirit” and discard the rest as “useless” stool and urine combined with now obsolete nutrients and energy from the body.
The digestive system, and organs that support its function, compose the majority of the body, proving that a body (for a pet or a person) is primarily designed to allow us to share homeopathic energies with other living things through an extensive and complicated process called digestion. So, in relating a homeopathic product to the process and function of the digestive system, an oral homeopathic isn’t a “hocus pocus” substance that science doesn’t understand (as scientists would often like you to believe). No, one is giving the body the exact substance that it seeks to remove from a food when it digests, without the effort and resources it normally exerts to do so. This is not only NOT a placebo effect, but it’s something that science understands quite well. As a matter of fact…
What’s in a pharmaceutical? Did you know that many common (and expensive) medications are made of herbs and homeopathics?
Some medications use homeopathic levels of medication in them; Albuterol by inhalation is .083% and Cyclosporine Ophthalmic is .05% (1). Even vaccinations like Rabies contain only .3%mg/1ml dose of antigen stimulating substance (2). To give you an idea of how little that it is, a 1ml dose is 20 drops and contains around ½ of 1 drop of substance to elicit immunity from rabies (titer tests ascertain that this ½ drop can create lasting immunity for 7-15 years (5)).
Atropine, Morphine and many antibiotics are made from flowers like Belladonna, Poppy and Celandine. The CDC recommended treatment for Malaria (and other similar infections) is made from Wormwood bush. Chemotherapy medication is made from a poisonous tree; Japanese Yew. Science has created pricey pharmaceuticals simply by extensive (not always healthy) methods of extracting, refining, binding, processing and bulking up these (and other) substances then pressing them into convenient little pills that can be patented, thus sold for higher prices. Often leaving the public to put little consideration into the basic source of their drugs… herbs, poisons, homeopathics and natural earth substances!!!
If science has proven that these basic natural substances are not only effective, but well researched and highly recommended by pharmaceutical companies and government health officials why don’t they want consumers believing they can purchase these things in herbal or homeopathic form for sometimes as little as 1/10,000th of the cost of a drug?
I believe that a primary reason for this is that, just like with a pharmaceutical, herbs and homeopathics require an educated professional to provide a consultation to users. Herbs are natural, whole-food products used for medicinal reasons. Homeopathics are energetic and require extensive knowledge and precision to find a single remedy that works for that pet or person. They elicit a response within the body that allows it to resolve an imbalance without suppressing the body’s natural healing mechanisms. When using herbal or homeopathic treatments it’s important to understand the body’s natural method of healing and know what to expect from the treatment.
Western medicine would often have us believe that organs work independently of each other, usually failing alone, and treatment, therefore, should be provided to that organ only. Pharmaceuticals are intended to forcefully alter the body’s natural responses to healing, generally suppressing it. These suppressive drugs are sometimes advised without consideration for the imbalances in the rest of the body or the long term effects. In life threatening events this can be invaluable. In non-life threatening events this is counterproductive.
To get the best results out of herbs and homeopathics, like pharmaceuticals, requires a level of refinement and independent case history to get the right remedy. For example, a pet or person diagnosed with elevated liver enzymes may run directly to well-known Milk Thistle. While Milk Thistle is a spectacular, safe and beneficial herb, it, in and of itself, doesn’t address WHY the enzymes are high. Ideally, a holistic practitioner and vet (who is imperative for diagnostics and pharmaceutical fallback, should it be necessary) should work in conjunction to isolate the cause of the issue and treat that. Herbs and homeopathics are no better than harsh pharmaceuticals if they address nothing but a symptom. Rather, an educated holistic practitioner might suggest offering additional or alternative supplements or maybe no supplements at all and a diet change, depending on the case history and diagnostics of the patient. The veterinary industry in particular, but the Western Medical field as a whole, has often gotten avaricious with their patients over the years… hoarding all the health advice to themselves even when they are not educated specialists in some fields. An allopathically trained vet or general physician is just as unethical for giving holistic and nutritional advice that they are uneducated in as a holistic practitioner would be for offering diagnostic and pharmaceutical advice that they are not trained in. Sadly, it’s often left to the patient to create this boundary and seek out a team of professionals to work together on a case.
Where do you get good sources of herbs and homeopathics? Where do I get good advice?
Like any product, just because it has nice packaging or says a lot on the label, or is similar to another product doesn’t make them equal. It’s important to get your herbs and homeopathics from a good source. Consider the location where they were grown, any chemicals used on them, the soil they grew in, the way they were handled prior to packaging, the packaging itself, etc. Ask questions before you purchase a product! Elemental Provisions provides ethically sourced, organic, kosher herbs and blends as well as homeopathics. They are free of nuts, fillers, colors, dyes, preservatives, and other unwanted ingredients.
Elemental Provisions and Hero’s Pets also provides educated advice and support on herbs and homeopathics. In the event that additional assistance (diagnostics or veterinary care) is needed they can also direct you to a variety of allopathic and holistic practitioners.
http://www.drmasiello.com/2015/04/my-comments-to-the-fda/
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM312931.pdf
http://chemistry.about.com/od/biochemistry/f/How-Many-Atoms-Are-There-In-A-Human-Cell.htm