We have not seen any negative interaction with herbs and chemical
medications, but this is always a possibility. The goal, of course, would be for
the patient to become free of all chemical intakes.
It is my opinion that herbs are mainly meant to be consumed raw and
uncooked, or in a tincture form, whereby digestion is minimal and absorption
is optimal. However, the roots, barks, and tubers can be boiled and still have
a great affect upon liver, pancreatic and GI tract function. Boiling, of course,
destroys the water-soluble constituents such as the vitamin C-complexes
(flavonoids), the B-vitamins, and the like. Boiling or heating the herbs can
also saturate (bond) the fats. However, most of the time, when you are using
boiled teas, you are treating symptoms and are trying to promote an
immediate action in the body. Most of the active medicinal properties are not
destroyed by heat.
I use herbs to promote detoxification and for tissue enhancement through
nutritive and energetic stimulation, not abrasive stimulation. We are living
beings who require living foods and herbs to heal ourselves. The power of a
raw herb to accomplish this is a hundred times that of its cooked counterpart.
Remember that herbs are food. They are made of proteins (amino acids),
carbohydrates (starches and sugars) and fats. They also have lots of fiber
(cellulose) which is vital for the health of the intestinal tract. The immortal
words of Hippocrates, the famous Naturopath and Father of Medicine, apply
here: “Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”
In religious and spiritual texts from many world traditions you will find
mention of the power and importance of herbs. God did not create chemical
medicines, but God did create herbs.
Herbs are fun to use and remarkable to experience as they clean and
rebuild your body. There are only a few herbs to approach with caution, such
as Peruvian Bark (Cinchona calisaya). This herb is beneficial at low dosages,
but toxic at high dosages. I would leave herbs like this alone.
This chapter begins with a short essay (Module 8.1) on the common and
traditional uses of botanicals, and then in Module 8.2 provides a detailed list
of some of the strongest and most effective herbs that nature has to offer.
These herbs have been clinically tested for many years. The results of these
herbs in supporting tissue regeneration have been miraculous. We humans
have a lot to learn when it comes to the power of botanicals to rebuild the
body.
Herbal formulas, consisting of combinations of herbs, can have a much