the margin for diagnosis error is quite slender. A slight ingestion of too much of this herb takes a person from a steady heart rate to stomach pains, convulsions, delirium, vomiting, diarrhea and in rare cases, death.
Instead of discounting the herb all together, modern science has isolated the functional chemicals in the plant, cardiac glycoside (digitoxin and digoxin) as well as a naturally occurring steroid (digoxigenin) used in marking DNA and RNA. Two medically used chemicals, ones dismissed when looking at the names, derived from an herb recognized for hundreds of years and adapted for safer use into modern medicine.
Other examples:
Thymol, the anticeptic that makes up anywhere from 24-56% of Thyme is but one of several useful chemicals and compounds in the plant.
Phytoestrogens, used to help ease the symptoms of menopause and PMS can be found in varying degrees in the herbs sage, oatstraw and wild yams.
Melatonin, a chemical that helps to gently lull the body to sleep (and one I use on a fairly regular basis) is found in tart cherries and tart cherry juice.
I could go on but I think you get my point.
The blending of science and herbs/naturals is one that needs to not be feared. Instead of having to eat 80 cherries every night, I can take an extremely concentrated form of tart cherry juice or I can pop a melatonin capsule (once I research it to make sure that it came from the cherries). The concentrates of the extracted chemicals allow us to live easier, more comfortably and more naturally without taxing our ecosystems attempting to produce the copious amounts of herbs we would need to produce the same medicinal amount naturally.
Our world is full of stress and anxiety enough and we simply don’t need to listen to every adage, old or new, that tacks on more. If you don’t know the words on a product, or where it is grown then look it up. The internet, while able to create hysteria, is also the greatest weapon against it these days. Never fear asking a professional for their credentials before you ask them for their help. And most importantly, don’t fear chemicals. Instead question the hype. Treat a product labeled as organic, all natural, green, the next great cure, answer or treatment as you would a new pharmaceutical or a new car. Research beyond the marketing and ask yourself questions, then find the questions. Remember that we’d all die without dihydrogen monoxide.
Owner of Sage Apothecary and Artful Body, Lynne has been apart of the spiritual community her whole life. She was trained by her grandmother as well as growing up with the readers at Lillydale New York. Studied herbalist and healer.