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Herbal supplements are a type of dietary
supplement that contain herbs, either singly or in
mixtures. An herb (also called a botanical) is a plant or
plant part used for its scent, flavor, and/or therapeutic
properties.
Hippocrates said: "Let your
food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food.",
so the knowledge, that good nutrition and a balanced diet is
helping to maintain health is not new, or news.
A cornerstone of belief in most alternative systems is to
avoid the "modern, affluent diet" and replace it with a diet
rich in whole, "organic" products, often vegetarian in
approach. The use of herbs in medicine is ancient in its
origins, and several astonishing examples are well known to
both physicians and the public. Basic to the use of herbs in
alternative medicine is the belief, that whole plant
material is superior to synthesized or isolated chemicals
derived from plant sources.
The material may be flowers, bark, roots, or leaves, used
singly or in combination, often taken in the form of teas,
or ground and taken as tablets, or used in salves.
Botanicals are sold in many forms: as fresh or dried
products; liquid or solid extracts; and tablets, capsules,
powders, and tea bags.
Many people believe that products labeled as "natural" are
safe and good for them. This is not necessarily true because
the safety of a botanical depends on many things, such as
its chemical makeup, how it works in the body, how it is
prepared, and the dose used.
Their action ranges from mild till powerful (potent), a
botanical with mild action may have subtle effects.
Chamomile and peppermint, both mild botanicals, are usually
taken as teas to aid digestion and are generally considered
safe for self-administration, Hoodia, for example, in the
Kalahari Desert could become the newest weapon in the war
against obesity, Herbalife is an extra ammunition to target
additional risk factors like cholesterol, and Soy is
regarded as a "functional food".
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