I have already had a great respect for Chinese herbal medicine. Indeed I included it as part of my degree studies, to theoretical level. Chinese medicine has been at the forefront of many natural remedies for thousands of years. It combines well with nutritional and other herbal medicines, as well as with conventional medicines (with appropriate cautions per individual circumstance, of course).
There are many examples of how herbal medicine, including Chinese herbal medicine, helps degenerative disease. Take an article summary posted recently in a top UK newspaper, sitting how an ancient 1,800 year old Chinese herbal remedy may help to boost the effects of conventional cancer treatment, as well as potentially helping to reduce its side-effects...
Huang Qin Tang, is a formula consisting of four herbs - extract of peonies, a pretty purple flower called Skullcap, Liquorice, and fruit from a Buckthorn tree. Huang Qin Tang, the resulting mix of these plant extracts, has been used for hundreds of years to help treat stomach upsets and nausea, and may have the potential to help similar side effects brought on by conventional chemotherapy cancer treatments.
Obviously in an ideal situation we would try to sway people away from the use of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy consists of some of the most aggressive drugs known to man. These drugs are so harsh that the administrator usually has to wear gloves before handling them, as they have the potential to burn the skin. If they can do this from the outside, think what they can do to the body once ingested. BUT, this is kind of why they are used, because they do destroy the body's cells. The aim of chemotherapy IS indeed to destroy cells. Obviously wanting to destroy the cancer cells, which they can do, but in the process destroying healthy body cells also, resulting in many side effects such as hair loss, severe digestive issues, sickness, immune system depletion, and potential increased proneness to many other resulting illnesses and conditions.
People have different views about how cancerous cells should be approached and there are controversial insights and opinions that are perhaps too lengthy and deep to be discussed for the purpose and extent of this one particular article. However, if chemotherapy is undertaken, or is thought to be the only option in an individual's particular circumstances, it is helpful to know that during this distressing treatment there are natural aids that may help to minimize the negative systemic effects, and perhaps lessen the damages to the body.
In this one example, researchers using Huang Qin Tang have found that the Chinese mixture may not only help to ease some of the digestive pains for patients on chemotherapy, but that it may also even actually help to increase the effectiveness of the chemical treatment, potentially at least providing more chance of success for people that have to undergo this form of treatment, which remember has no guarantee of success on its own, even after going through all the pains of its processes.
The drugs used in chemotherapy cause a number of toxic side effects through destruction of healthy cells, especially so in the digestive tract. However, at Yale University researchers have found that in some studies relating particularly to colon and rectal cancer, using the Huang Qin Tang mixture, it may help to protect the intestinal lining and aid faster recovery following chemotherapy treatment. This may be a huge plus for the recovery of many patients.
Initial studies indicate that the Chinese mixture may help to reduce inflammation, and may even boost effectiveness of the chemotherapy to kill tumours. Less weight loss was also noticed.
The researchers comment..."This combination of chemotherapy and herbs represents a marriage of Western and Eastern approaches to the treatment of cancer. We will continue to refine these processes to better study and understand the sophisticated nature of (this and other herbal medicines)..."
Something that I always discuss with people is that conventional and natural medicine can work together. Of course, where chemicals are not essential a person's long-term health can be helped, and disease prevented through the use of good herbal and nutritional medicine. But there are always circumstances where conventional drugs may be needed, whether short- or longer-term. Many conventional doctors are averse to the idea of natural, nutritional, or herbal medicine. But with more and more evidence over the years, the facts cannot be ignored that there is not only potential for natural medicine to provide a long-term resolution to many degenerative problems, where conventional medicines may be helpful for their shorter-term more acute stages. What is referred to generally as the 'marriage' between herbal and conventional medicine IS itself a fact, and indications such as this prove how well they have the potential to work effectively together, providing better results for more people.
Within our range, we would suggest using Omega 3, Total Balance and Immu-Stay and following chemotherapy treatment – to be introduced 1-2 weeks following completion, to help aid in recovery, reduce inflammatory responses, increase nutrient intake again following damage to the digestive system, and rebuilding the immune system.
For more details on the actual mixture and Huang Qin Tang ingredients particularly, you may find the below link interesting reading...
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