I love watching those Olympic athletes bump through a mogul field, float a corkscrewed flip, land like cat and continue to scream like a banshee down the slope. The way those skaters pull off a triple backward spin and land on a thin edge of steel is truly miraculous. Watching world-class athletes is indeed amazing.
Equally amazing for me were the commercials. Especially the ones for prescription medication that combine the image of a smile-happy patient bouncing through life against the background rapid-fire litany of side effects and cautions.
This product may cause:
Insomnia
Headaches
Diarrhea
Hallucinations
Brest enlargement in men
Anxiety
Suicidal thoughts
Back pain
Blurred vision
Nausea
Constipation
Decrease in sexual ability
Birth defects
Liver damage
Joint aches
Problems if handled by pregnant women
Nose bleeds
Hair loss
Skin rashes
Dizziness
Coughing
Urinary tract infections
Heartburn
Panic attacks
“Ask you doctor if this drug is right for you.
Perhaps it is best that we should be ask ourselves if these drugs are right for US.
Are Chinese herbs dangerous? Depends on what you are comparing them to. There were some cases about 12 years ago of a number of patients suffering kidney failure after taking a diet pill that was a compound of various herbs and pharmaceuticals. Indeed there was a Chinese herb involved in the mix that was a known nephrotoxin. It was also an herb that any trained Chinese herbalist would avoid or use with extreme caution as we are aware of its potential dangers.
Are Chinese herbs dangerous? They can have powerful effects, and generally speaking when prescribed by a qualified and skilled practitioner they are quite safe, and effective.
That being said, as with anything posted on the Internet as a miracle cure-all or a medication guaranteed to treat XYZ condition, one should exercise caution in its purchase and use.
At Yong Kang Clinic we use only products that have been tested for contaminates, heavy metals, and are proven to be free adulterates. There are products from mainland China that you should be wary of; you will not find those at Yong Kang.
Have a question about Chinese herbs? Email us! We would be happy to help you enjoy the benefit of 2000+ years of Chinese medical science.
@Dr Pullen- thanks for your comment and pointing out the importance of knowing what you are doing when taking or prescribing herbs.
Yes, of course, even aspirin taken in a large enough dose is dangerous.
And no doubt ephedra (known in Chinese as Ma Huang) is a powerful and potentially dangerous medicinal. In Chinese medicine schools this is one of the herbs that we learn you must take great care in prescribing. Any well trained Chinese herbalist will confirm this fact; that you must be careful with Ma Huang. And ethical herb suppliers will not sell this herb to you in bulk unless you are a trained practitioner.
I think you might be referring to the several instances where unscrupulous companies where selling Ma Huang (ephedra) as a “safe and natural weight loss supplement.” Of course, any trained professional knows this is nonsense. But, companies like this prey on the public’s desire for effortless weigh loss. There is a real difference between companies trying to squeeze a profit from an unsuspecting public and practitioners who have training and put a patient’s health and wellbeing first.
Indeed, just because something is an herb does not mean you can fool around with it and not perhaps reap some serious consequences.
I appreciate your point on this. I should have said that Chinese herbs in the hands of trained professionals are safe. In the hands of businesses looking just for a profit, or in the hands of those who are self-diagnosing and do not have the proper background, there are indeed issues. (not so different from patients at times thinking they need a certain western drug because of something they saw on TV.)
The short answer is yes sometimes. Remember chinese ephedrine and strokes?