Throughout this book we have presented our view that herbal medicines are valuable components of a holistic health approach. During your exploration of the different botanical allies we have described, several important questions may have arisen in your mind. When discussing herbs, we commonly hear the following ones:
• How do I determine which herb I should take?
• Over what period of time should I take an herbal remedy?
• Is it beneficial to take several herbs together?
• Can I safely mix herbs and pharmaceutical drugs?
• What is the appropriate role of other, non-herbal nutritional supplements?
These are significant questions, and you will get many different answers depending upon the experience, background, and theoretical framework of the person you ask. Before offering you our responses, we again want to remind you to evaluate honestly the other important aspects of your life before expecting an herb to heal you. Take time each day to settle your mind through meditation. Commune with nature on a regular basis. Focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet with abundant fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. Be sure to get enough rest. Minimize toxic substances, emotions, and relationships in your life. Only after you have addressed these essential elements of good health is it time to consider the appropriate use of herbal medicines. An herb is much more likely to be effective if your overall lifestyle is nurturing to your body, mind, and soul. So, without claiming that we have the definitive answers, we offer our responses to the questions posed above.
We recommend beginning with a rasayana or rejuvenative herb if you are not facing a specific or serious health concern. A daily dose of ginseng or gotu kola can help raise your overall level of well-being. According to Ayurveda, the herbal tonic jam derived from amalaki (traditionally called Chavan Prash) can be taken by almost anyone, regardless of age or sex. Rejuvenative substances are designed to provide balanced herbal nutrition to enhance the body’s natural resistance to illness. They are best considered subtle foods that provide an herbal foundation to strengthen mind-body integration.
If, after taking a general herbal tonic, you feel the specific need to enliven your masculine energy, consider adding ashwagandha or atmagupta to your diet. If you feel your feminine energy is lacking, try taking shatavari or black cohosh. A basic rejuvenative such as amalaki combined with ashwagandha or shatavari may be all you need to maintain optimal vitality.
Using an herb for a specific symptom or ailment requires sensitivity and awareness. We recommend that you first identify your primary health concern and choose one or two herbs that address your problem. Be certain that you are receiving a high-quality botanical agent, and take it as recommended. Although many herbal formulas contain dozens of components, be sure that you are receiving enough of any individual one to justify its inclusion. We generally do not encourage people to take more than a few supplements at a time. Be clear about your intended outcome, and tune in to your body’s inner wisdom to see if you are achieving the effects you are seeking.
If, after an adequate period of time, you are not satisfied with the results, consider discontinuing the supplements you are taking and reevaluating the problem at another level. For example, if you have been dealing with recurrent viral infections, rather than trying other immune-enhancing herbs, consider going on a detoxification program for a couple of weeks to cleanse your system. Then add a rejuvenative herb to boost your body’s immunity. The effective use of herbal medicines is more art than science, and the artistry requires that you regularly check in with your inner intelligence.
If you are dealing with a chronic health concern, you may need to take an herb for at least a couple of months before you notice its benefit. We often see people who are simultaneously taking many different nutritional supplements, but have not allowed enough time with any substance to adequately assess its effects. If you are experiencing incomplete benefits, it may be helpful to increase the amount you are taking. In our experience the safest way to do this is to add another dose during the day. In other words, if your muscle ache is slightly reduced by taking guggulu twice daily, increase your intake to three times a day. It is important to remember that most herbs are subtle medicinal substances and need time to help your mind and body reestablish balance. Patience is an important virtue in healing.
It is also helpful to bear in mind that some herbs work best when taken on a continuous basis, and that others have a limited duration of efficacy. Echinacea is a good example of an herb that is best used for a short time during the early stages of a cold or flu, but loses its potency if taken regularly. Herbs that have an influence on the mind, such as kava kava or valerian, are also best used on an intermittent basis.
There is not a simple answer to this question. In many of the traditional medical systems, the combining of numerous herbs into a formula has been the rule. The classical texts of Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine expound the view that the blending of different herbs has a synergistic action and can minimize undesirable side effects. Modern medicine takes the opposite point of view, with an emphasis on standardized single chemicals. We take a middle road. Our experience has demonstrated that combining different herbs can balance and potentiate their efficacy. On the other hand, formulas that contain dozens of botanical constituents in subtherapeutic doses are unlikely to produce the desired effects. If you are taking a large number of nutritional supplements and you experience an adverse reaction, it is difficult to identify the responsible agent. We encourage you to gain as much information as possible about the herbal product you are taking and, to the extent possible, keep it simple.
The classical medical systems never addressed this question because synthesized drugs were not available at the time they were compiling their herbal formularies. We do not support the point of view that because herbs are “natural” they do not negatively interact with pharmacological medications. There are enough reports in the medical literature on adverse supplement/medication interactions to tread cautiously when mixing herbs with drugs. Calming herbs may potentiate the tranquilizing effects of drugs. Herbs that have a blood-thinning action may interfere with anticoagulant medications. How an herb is metabolized and eliminated from the body can influence the metabolism and elimination of drugs.
Our approach at the Chopra Center is to use herbs sparingly if a person is on a prescribed medication. If the possibility exists of eliminating a medicine and accomplishing similar benefits with a natural approach, we monitor the transition very carefully. We encourage you strongly to have an open and honest dialogue with your health-care provider before adding a medicinal herb or discontinuing any prescription medication. Do not risk your health through denial or wishful thinking. On the other hand, we believe it is a worthy goal to find the subtlest approach that can accomplish the intended outcome.
We envision a nutritional spectrum that spans the range from food on one end to drugs on the other. In between are supplements and herbs. As anyone who has recently walked into a health-food store is aware, there is an explosive growth in the nutriceutical world; dozens of new isolated substances are coming to market with a wide range of claimed health benefits. Nutritional derivatives including pycnogenols, coenzyme Q-10, grapeseed extract, green tea catechins, quercetin, MSM, blue-green algae, SAM-e, carnitine, and others are being consumed by increasing numbers of people. The research on many of these substances is often compelling, but it is difficult to know how to use them appropriately other than in a scattershot manner. In several of our vitamin and circulation formulas we have included these derivatives in combination with standard vitamins and minerals, because we believe the preliminary data warrants their inclusion. We view them as helping to supplement the nutritional value of food, but not as a substitute for good nutrition or for the appropriate use of herbal medicines.
Our recommendation for you is to do what we do—monitor the data. When we learn about a new supplement, we gather as much information as possible before adding it to our nutritional program. Research what is known, and determine whether its intended benefits are of particular value for you. Our general principle is “when in doubt, leave it out.” Again, do not substitute the latest extracted agent for freshly prepared delicious meals.
The evolutionary process moves in spirals. As our society circles back around to a more natural approach, we believe it is important to keep an open heart and mind, integrating the best of the old and the new. To us this means that whether an approach is ancient or modern does not, on it own, insure its significance. The only constant in life is change, and we must be open to a dynamic vision of healing if we are not to overlook potentially valuable approaches. On the other hand, in our exuberance to find the fountain of youth, we must temper our enthusiasm for every new promise with a mature, balanced assessment. Our goal is nothing short of perfect health. To this end, we hope that The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook provides you with a valuable map for this stage of your journey.