< previous page | page_20 | next page >
Page 20
| Unprocessed licorice root is problematic for those with heart disease because in large doses it causes fluid retention and raises blood pressure. Licorice is otherwise versatile and beneficial, repairing the adrenal glands, preventing ulcers, improving digestion and treating coughs and hoarseness. The fluid retention is caused by glycyrrhizin, a chemical in natural licorice. In Europe, licorice roots are treated to remove their glycyrrhizin content, but in the U.S. and Canada, the roots are sold untreated. You can, however, purchase deglycyrrhinized licorice capsules, tinctures and other preparations in health food stores. Because of its effectiveness, deglycyrrhinized licorice is beginning to appear in over-the-counter drugstore products for the treatment of heartburn and acid indigestion. |
| Some of the herbs described here, such as lily of the valley and European mistletoe, are seldom used by American herbalists, who consider them dangerous. Yet these same plants are widely used in Europe, where they are considered safe, effective cardiac tonics. American warnings are usually based on theoretical evidence and an absence of clinical experience, while European safety reports are based on centuries of widespread use in humans. The greatest danger for heart patients who want to experiment with herbs comes not from plants but from the effects of medications they already take for high blood pressure or heart disease. Replacing prescription drugs with herbs is a common practice in Germany and other countries, but it requires the close attention and the expertise of an experienced healthcare professional. |
| Because herbs cannot be patented, there is no economic incentive for their testing in the United States, |
< previous page | page_20 | next page >

If you like this book, buy it!