"Hundreds of herbal Medicines Off the Market in European Union Today"

tanstaafl said:

continued encroachment
One of my kids into sports, arriving in Asia, was informed at customs that vitamin packs weren't allowed under new rules, like medicines without a prescription, but would be allowed "this time". I think they were wrong, but there is definitely pharmaceutically inspired encroachment afoot around the world.

The kid will go to graduate school in Europe after this summer. I am not sure how the grabby European weak vitamin limits are going to play out.

John23 said:

Kathi -

Re:
”….Now, John, before you quote only part *smile*….
….if certain 'herbals' are taken, it can be deadly…..”<\i>

Absolutely right of course! (Did I shock you?)

Although it's true that many herbs were the basis for western meds,
that’s where the similarity stops.

In Western Medicine, manufactured drugs are used to take away
only the symptom(s) of an underlying problem .

With Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Herbs (natural drugs)
and/or acupuncture are used to energize whatever organ isn't
working properly, fixing the underlying problem. Once that is
accomplished, the symptoms of the malfunctioning system are gone.

Most people can’t wait, so they take a quick-acting pill to get rid
of the symptoms, and get back to work.

The symptoms may be gone, but the problem isn’t, and it will
eventually produce a worse problem with worse symptoms.

Can herbs kill? Water can kill. If I have a problem, I worry more
about taking a drug for it, since -all- drugs have side effects and
interactions; herbs (for the most part) do not.

Yes, there have been problems reported with herbs like St.John's wart,
etc., but that can occur when people take herbs without knowing fully
what the herbs are capable of doing. That's the real problem; people
are not interested in learning about what they are about to undertake.

When we do something blindly, we will suffer the consequences
sooner or later; It's no different with OTC medicine.

Some people don't read instructions with over-the-counter medicine,
but that doesn't make the medicine bad, or cause it to be regulated.

Tylenol is a good example. The manufacturer tells us not to take
it for more than ten consecutive days. Too much of it can cause
serious liver and renal problems.

How many actually heed that warning? The company's caveat,
of: "only do so if your physician tells you to", is a great CYA move.
Your attorneys will fight both your physician and Tylenol, but
Tylenol will win, since they did inform you of the safe dosage limit.

TCM herbal concoctions are never prescribed beyond the time
the herbal concoction resolves the problem.

I took herbs for AF, and after about 9 months my AF was gone.
I have not taken herbs for AF since it was cured! With TCM,
herbs are not prescribed for a steady, life-time diet, as Western
Medicine's drugs are.

So the claims made that "herbs cause problems", is ill founded.
They don't cause problems if we take them they way they were
intended to be taken; not much different with Tylenol, right?

Both of my oncologists said that if I did chemo, I could not take any
herbal compounds to relieve any side effects of the chemo. Instead
they both said they would prescribe other medications to offset
the side effects.

It was interesting to recently read, that “chemo brain” and other
neurological problems may be caused by the interaction of the
drugs used to offset the side effects of the chemo.

The studies indicated that the interactions of the drugs appeared
to cause some chemicals to cross the “blood/brain barrier”.

No herbs; not safe? I prefer to pick my poison, thank you.

Getting back to topic…..

Individuals should have the freedom to choose their own remedies.
What “right” does any government have, to dictate an individual’s
choice of pharmaceutical?

There are basic human rights involved that no entity should encroach;
the right to choose what may bring you good health, is only one.

This is another reason why this website, and its allowance of all
information is important!. Anyone can gather enough data here
to make an informed decision that may well save their life!

It isn’t the “herbs” at fault, it’s the refusal of the industry to accept
the use of herbal compounds instead of their money-making, factory
produced chemicals. The cancer industry lobbies for what they want,
and they use donations and profits for their fight.

Our marches, fund raising events, and all donated funds would be
better off donated to the ones involved that are seeking a real cure,
instead of an industry that is profiting from the lack of a real cure.

That's my two cents, and a few million screen pixels worth
of rant. I'll stop now, I'm giving me a headache.

(and besides, I've probably offended a few million readers by now)

Stay well; think “cured”,

John