Posted by IsoM on March 25, 2002, at 15:52:28
In reply to About herbs » IsoM, posted by Lou Pilder on March 25, 2002, at 14:46:12
I realise that herbs can be very powerful & I will caution someone if they plan to take them, but ginkgo biloba IS recommended for thrombosis. No way did I mean to combine ginkgo with Aspirin - that would increase the effects - just pointing out some options for Emma. Ginkgo biloba doesn't increase brain power like it's sometimes touted as, but will dilate blood vessels & increase blood flow IF their circulation is actually poor. Many people think their circulation is poor when the real problem is lack of physical activity.
Of course, herbs need to be used wisely. As an example, both tomatoes & tobacco belong to the same family, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't eat tomatoes. There are potentially good foods to be found in the deadly nightshade family besides tomatoes - peppers, eggplants, potatoes. A person needs to use common sense & moderation with ALL things - foods, herbs, medications, life-style, you name it.
But I do agree with you. If a person uses herbal remedies, their doctor should know about it - whether thy're taking medications or not. One person almost bled to death during an operation because she'd been taking large anmounts (not a good thing) of ginkgo biloba & never told anyone.
I thought you meant that there were specific studies linking thrombosis with ginkgo as bad. I checked some more resources & found that even sometimes patients' doctors will recommend ginkgo for thrombosis.
I recommend http://www.gnc.com/health_notes/Index/Herb_Drugix.htm for interested people to check out any possible interactions with herbs & medications. It's referenced by bona fide doctors & researchers. And http://www.gnc.com/health_notes/Index/Herb.htm to learn more about herbs & which ones MAY benefit a person.
poster:IsoM
thread:20839
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020325/msgs/20877.html