[MR] Boo Boo Juice

[Jennifer Dobyns]

This and other parts of the conversation have led me to post, where  
otherwise I'd have kept silent.

It is important to consult a professional when using herbal products,  
as much as it is when using allopathic remedies.  There are  
professionally educated herbalists (and aromatherapists) who get a  
good grounding in anatomy, physiology and organic chemistry as part of  
their education.  They know to check on the same sort of things a  
western doctor would check before writing a prescription, etc.   
Western medicine is beginning to acknowledge that alternative  
therapies have more than just a psychological placebo effect in  
patient treatment.   Depending on which doctor you talk to, you can  
get anything from an enthusiastic reaction embracing alternative  
therapies, to outright contempt, depending on their age, background  
and training.  Much of the research has been funded by pharmaceutical  
companies which endow academic institutions and have very deep  
pockets.  Complimentary medicine is just beginning to catch up, and is  
putting all sorts of myths to rest.

Comfrey was taken out of many herbal teas and other ingested remedies  
in the early 1980's.  Sadly, some of the herbal reference guides from  
an earlier era which do not rely on good research are still around,  
and some people think that just because something is in print, it must  
be correct.  The concept that it could be smoked as a remedy sounds  
like something that a person who preferred smoking other substances  
would have come up with on their own. *g*

What I do not understand is how someone can accept that the nasal  
spray they use, or the stuff they put in their vaporizer can work, or  
use a topical allergy or pain relieving cream, but can dismiss the  
effects of essential oils.  Or accept the fact that you cannot inhale  
certain substances without toxic effects, and insist that you couldn't  
possibly benefit from an inhaled substance just because it's not  
manufactured in a laboratory.

Genevieve D'Aubigne
who benefits from a combination of modalities and professional  
perspectives


On Oct 22, 2009, at 12:50 PM, Dexter Guptill wrote:

> I posted a reply that went to Logan instead of the list.  With his
> permission, forwarding our off-list discussion, and my comments
> thereafter:
>
> Scripsit Logan:
>> On Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 12:32 AM, logan <logan at ebonwoulfe.com> wrote:
>>> medically speaking what does tea tree, lavender, comfrey, etc do?
>
> I answered:
>> I'd have to look up whether tea tree or lavender actually do  
>> something  for bruises. Comfrey, applied topically, helps with  
>> healing of
>> trauma-type injuries up to and including fractures. Won't do squat  
>> for  the discoloration, but helps the blood vessels repair
>> themselves.
>>
>> Erich von Kleinfeld, Barber-surgeon,
>> etcetera
>
> Respondit Logan:
> On Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 8:52 AM, logan <logan at ebonwoulfe.com> wrote:
>> but you have the whole liver damage issue that is caused by that  
>> plant which
>> is why modern medicine avoids its use.  i know that many eastern  
>> martial art
>> disciplines use it either by ingesting it or smoking it to relieve  
>> pain,
>> however its use is banned in every legit fighting organization  
>> because of
>> the liver damage.
> [Snip of some stuff that he's since mentioned on-list]
>
> And finally:
> [[New]]
> Your Grace,
> I think I see why it's regarded as hazardous in some circles, and not
> in others.  You mentioned people ingesting or smoking the stuff. Any
> form of internal use is considered a Bad Idea(tm).  Given your mention
> of liver damage, I see WHY it's a bad idea.  All of the
> recommendations I've seen for comfrey, be it a poultice of fresh
> leaves, roots, or prepared ointments, have been for topical use.  NOT
> running it through the GI and/or respiratory systems would cut back
> quite a bit on the toxicity.
>
> There is one area where they're starting to worry and do tests
> concerning topical use: Because it promotes cell growth, there's some
> worry that comfrey may be a carcinogen.  I've heard somewhere (meaning
> "take with salt as appropriate") that there's some research starting
> up.
>
> Erich von Kleinfeld, Barber-Surgeon,
> mka
>
> -- 
> Dex
> http://members.cox.net/dguptill
>
> "Rule 37: There is no overkill. There is only 'Open Fire', and 'I need
> to reload'. " http://www.schlockmercenary.com
> = 
> = 
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