When I was prescribed an herbal treatment for my kidney stones in 2006, we asked the urologist if we can use the real herb in place of the commercial version of sambong pills. And it is history that we had planted sambong so we can save money instead of buying the pills and at the same time get more efficacy. It is very effective for me and until now I am drinking sambong tea that we brew using the leaves of the sambong plant plus lemon grass to add flavor and at the same time fight cholesterol. Do you have a herbal kiosk there? Based on what I see, there is an array of herbal supplements - in packets, sachets and bottles - displayed in the kiosk which is big business. For one sickness like diabetes, there are countless of cures and preventive treatments. And it looks like all diseases and ailments are covered with the thousands of herbal supplement in that kiosk. It would have been great if those herbal supplements are true to their blurb. However, all of them have a label in the packaging that says - no approved therapeutic claims.
Except for Vitamin D and C occasionally, I don't buy any herbal or any other vitamins. It's become big business And there are so many that I get dizzy just looking at all the different ones for just one problem. There's so much hype everywhere you look, even on the internet. You click on a story but it ends up being an ad for some weight loss miracle or face lift miracle or a cure for something. Once you order from them, you'll never stop getting billed every month no matter what you do, I've read of so many nightmare stories like that. They say you can cancel but just try, lol.
Well now, that's a loaded question there, @Patsy Faye ! Personally... well, if we're talking herbals and not vitamins and minerals, I sure haven't seen anything working. Some people swear by Melatonin (probably not technically an herbal? Not sure) but for me... nope. Took it, was so very excited about it, and then it was like "Oh DRAT, it's 2 a.m. and I popped awake like every other night (and that after taking it for a while to give it a fair chance.) Same story with other herbals I've tried for numerous issues... it was like taking M&Ms... which would have tasted a lot better. Now minerals I do think are good whether or not we see a difference, particularly calcium, Vit C and the B vitamins.
I have a full bottle of melatonin in my drawer in my nightstand, probably should throw it out. I was only low on D so started taking that. I think I get plenty of the B vitamins from my food. C I take sometimes because I'm not a fruit eater but other foods contain it also.
I do in my desk drawer, too, Chrissy. I made a mistake and bought two bottles when I bought it and it didn't take more than the first bottle to see that it, at least to me, was going to be worthless. I've never taken D but it wouldn't be a bad idea. I got some GNC B-12 chews recently and although there's no way to tell if they're doing anything, I've enjoyed some of the chews. Tricky way to fool myself into thinking it's candy? You decide. hehe (Hint, I've even tried the chocolate and vanilla calcium chews.)
Melatonin is not an herb at all. It is a hormone that our body produces when it gets dark outside and it is time for us to go to sleep (according to nature). We produce more of it when we are young, and it is also found in mother's milk from cows and goats, as well as humans. As we get older, our melatonin production drops. Plus, we live with artificial lights, so we don't even make most of what melatonin we could still produce because it doesn't get dark when the sun goes down anymore. Like any other hormone, some people need more of melatonin to help them get sleepy than other people need. I started taking it when I was in my early 50's and started with a dose of 3 mg about a half hour before bed time. As I have aged, I slowly increased the dose as I felt like I needed more of it. It also helps to not watch dramatic or scary television programs, which make us release adrenalin, another hormone, and one which will keep us alert and awake. They also recommend using a yellow light source and not a bright white one, in the evening. Since the purpose of melatonin is to make you feel sleepy, it is not necesarily going to put you into a deep sleep like a sleeping pill would do. It just helps you to fall asleep easier; but if you are stressed and full of adrenalin, then it might not even do that since it would be competing with the other hormone. Melatonin is not just a hormone to make you sleepy, it is also an anti-aging hormone, and helps the other hormones to work better. There is a great book called "The Melatonin Miracle" , and it explains all of the benefits of taking this hormone when your body stops producing enough of it.
I have a bottle of B-12 melt under your tongue ones but saw no benefit and I think my vitamin b levels are normal. I recall having that on a blood test.
@Yvonne Smith, I was trying it for sleep but it didn't work so I don't take it. I don't know what other benefits it has But I'll look. The other problem I see with it is that in some other countries you need a prescription for it, it's not OTC like it is here so I wonder why?
Here is just a short tutorial video that explains some of the more important reasons why our body needs a sufficient supply of melatonin. I did find a video by the doctor that wrote the Melatoin Miracle book (Dr. Walter Pierpaoli) ; but he is a little hard to understand; so I wanted to share this shorter one instead.
I was so hoping it would work for me... but it just didn't. It didn't make me sleepy, it didn't keep me sleeping, and... don't quote me on this, I may be thinking of something else, but I do believe it made me feel horrid the next day, like all droopy. I could only deal with it for about 20 days. I guess my body manufactures as much as it's going to get. Also, I didn't like the side effects and warnings I saw for it on WebMD... from depression (worsening depression), bleeding, increasing blood sugar and blood pressure, etc. I didn't want to end up with things a lot worse than sleeplessness. Oh, and it said in some cases it's been known to be safely taken for "up to 2 years"... I also didn't want to find something that worked and then have to stop taking it in less than two years because of the risks.
Ok, I understand it's also antioxidant and we have less as we age but why is it only available by prescription in some countries? Is it guaranteed that by taking it you won't get cancer? I don't have a big fear of cancer but now watch my Pap smear come back abnormal. Since there have been so few cancers in my family maybe I'll get them all. It's not that I'm against taking these things but it just gets overwhelming with what they say you should be taking, so I take only what I know I'm low on...vitamin D. My daughter also tried melatonin and it did help her fall asleep but she quit because of a side effect but I can't remember what it was....maybe crazy dreams? Not sure but I'll ask her if she calls. She's the one that suggested I take it. She also takes D and a multi and magnesium and calcium and zinc. She's also not a fruit eater like me. My bottle is old so needs throwing out anyway....still need to research it more. I barely remember my D every day. I also have omega 3 but always forget to take it. I remember my prescription meds but not my vitamins.
Wowzers! I just checked with Mayo Clinic after reading the WebMD warnings... Mayo recommends very short term use if at all... "up to two months!" Yvonne, didn't your doctor ever have warnings for you? You've been using it for twenty years? It interacts with a number of medications including blood thinners, diabetes medication, and hypertension meds as well. Too scary for Mari.
I don't take those meds but this is why I don't take all these extra things except what my dr ordered like the D. As I get more tests done, he may tell me to take something else but he knows my medical history and meds I take so any interactions would be avoided.
I've often been surprised at many of the claimed "harmless" herbals and supplements turning out to be bad for us when we actually research or ask a doc about it. There are reasons doctors (and dentists, come to think of it) always ask about herbal stuff you're taking, too... they know many of them interact badly with meds. Anyhow, sorry for derailing your question there, @Corie Henson ! Herbals are big business here like Chrissy said, but many doctors will tell you that the effectiveness is often a placebo effect at best and harmful to long-term health at worst.