The Truth About Herbal Medicine – The Pros and Cons

Herbal medicine has been a subject of much debate for generations and is still very much happening right now. All over the world, there are millions of experts and scientists who swear by the use of organic herbal cures and treatments, while equal numbers would have us all believe that they simply do not work – never have and never will. Of course, from a public perspective this is all rather counterproductive as on one hand we’re advised to choose one path and then on the other we’re told to do something different.

Which begs the obvious question – what’s the truth?

Well, according to the experts at home-cures.co.uk the subject is far too expansive and complicated to be labelled with one single outright ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ label. Just as is the case with conventional medicine, there are some herbal supplements that work better than others just as there are some that have been proven to be more harmful than beneficial. As such, it’s a case of making the right choices in accordance with what you need and the effects you’re looking for – all backed with a good dose of scientific evidence.

In order to make the right decision, it’s important to fairly weigh up the pros and cons of herbal medicine and decide whether or not this is indeed the way to go for you.

The Pros of Herbal Medicine

In terms of the arguments in favour of herbal medicine, there are plenty of reasons to make a beeline for the nearest home cures store and take the natural approach. These include:

• Fewer Side Effects – As herbal medicines are by their very nature 100% natural, the chances of any given patient reacting to them in a negative way is much lower than that of conventional medicine. What’s more, the vast majority of conventional drugs should never be taken over a long period unless absolutely necessary as they can build a harmful effect over time. By contrast, herbal supplements tend to be safe to use both short and long term.
• Help with Chronic Health Problems – When and where a patient has been suffering from any given condition for an extensive period of time, there’s a good chance that their conventional treatment options may be largely ineffective or lose their effectiveness over time. When this happens, making the switch to natural or herbal treatments can bring about the relief and beneficial effects that would otherwise have been impossible to come by.
• Cost Effective – Many of the drugs the world depends on to maintain good health are quite extortionately expensive – even the ones that cost next to nothing to make. By contrast, herbal supplements tend to be infinitely less expensive and therefore make more realistic prospect for those who may be looking to follow a course of treatment for an extended period of time.
• Easy Access – Another huge advantage of herbal supplements and treatments in general is the way in which they are so easy to get hold of and do not require professional medical referrals. As such, where it may take several months to see a doctor, be referred to a specialist and ultimately get the prescription drugs you need, herbal supplements are never more than a few clicks of the mouse away.

The Cons of Herbal Medicine

Of course it’s only fair to bring to light the obvious cons of herbal medicine too, which include the following:

• Varying Quality – Unlike conventional drugs, the brand you choose to buy your herbal supplements from will always have a huge impact on the quality or otherwise of the product as a whole. As such, it’s important to be careful when choosing where to buy your herbal treatments as not all are of the same quality or effectiveness.
• Lack of Testing – In some instances, but certainly not all, some of the more modern herbal remedies on the market may not have been around long enough to have been put through enough testing to prove their long-term effectiveness. By contrast, all standard drugs have to be tested exhaustively before being put into circulation.
• Ineffective for Some – Last up, it’s also important to point out that as there’s no such thing as a single treatment method or drug that’s 100% effective for 100% of people, herbal supplements and treatments may not always work. But then again, it’s the same case for all prescription drugs.

On the whole therefore, evidence suggests that when approached with due care and common sense there is indeed so much to gain from correct use of herbal supplements. They may not be perfect, but when weighed up against conventional prescription drugs, they’re pretty evenly matched to say the least.