by ROBERT CHU on MARCH 27, 2010
Often, MD’s tell patients to not take herbs. I can understand their concern for their patients, but if a patient is seeing me and diagnosed by me as needing herbs, I still recommend them.
Doctors usually: 1) Don’t have any herbal knowledge at all 2) Don’t prescribe herbs to patients and see the effect of herbs on them 3) Don’t have a license to prescribe or dispense herbs 4) Don’t use them for themselves 5) Go by hearsay and say herbs can cause kidney damage, etc.
My retort is which ones? There are over 2000 Materia Medica substances used in Chinese Medicine…
Many drugs can cause Liver and Kidney failure when taken long term or when taken with other drugs, but I wouldn’t say all drugs do. In fact, so many beloved celebrities have been victims of medicinal drugs – just look at Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith and Corey Haim.
So the next time an MD talks about herbs, find out their qualifications about herbs and their experience with herbs. If they are found lacking, then its better to listen to your acupuncturist/herbalist.