Tidbit #1: Many of today’s medical breakthroughs are the result of the study of herbal medicine and when some of the ingredients were proven to be too hard to come by, scientists began working in the laboratory to develop synthetic versions of the plant’s phytocemicals hoping to duplicate the results. Many of today’s medicines are successful in offering hope to the ill or injured, but many synthetic compounds also have side effects not usually seen in those used in herbal medicine.

The Connection Between Herbal Medicines & Lupus

 There are many different herbal medicines that are available and used today, and one of the strongest connections here is between herbal medicines and lupus.

 What is Lupus?

 Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease, one that occurs when the body’s immune system begins attacking its own tissues and organs. Lupus can develop in both men and women but occurs much more frequently in women, although no one is quite sure why.

 There are a few common signs and symptoms of lupus, including fatigue, fever, weight loss or gain, joint pain, stiffness, mouth sores, dry eyes, chest pains, easy bruising, anxiety, depression, memory loss, and shortness of breath.

·        Herbal Medicines and Lupus

 There are many options when it comes to treating lupus, and herbal medicines and lupus is one of the most popular of all. There are actually a few different herbal medicines that have proven to be effective at treating lupus, one in particular being Echinacea.

 Tidbit #2: Throughout history, ancient civilizations in Egypt, India and China used herbal medicine for all illnesses as well as for taking care of their injured warriors. Over the years they perfected their practices but unfortunately, most of the botanicals that were compounded were not written down and subsequent generations had to rely on the memories of their elders to carry on the practice of herbal medicine in those cultures.

 Echinacea is a member of the daisy family and is touted as being a remedy for colds or flu. It contains certain substances which have been shown to be capable of strengthening the immune system to fight infection. It is a natural product that is also used to stop itching and soothe the skin. Perhaps most importantly Echinacea has shown to be effective at relieving the symptoms of lupus, which is a great accomplishment in the world of medicine.

 Feverfew is another herb included in the herbal medicines and lupus relationship, and is a member of the sunflower family. It is used mainly for headache prevention but has shown to be effective at relieving the symptoms of lupus as well.

 Herbal medicines and lupus are usually always successful and effective, but just remember that even though herbal medicines are natural they are still medicine and so you need to use them with caution and be sensible. Follow the recommended dosage instructions and never assume that the more you use the better off you are going to be because in fact the opposite is true.

 If you take more medicine than is recommended you are not going to be benefiting but rather may actually worsen the symptoms and end up in more trouble than you were in to begin with. It is easy to see how effective and advantageous herbal medicine can be, just make sure that you are responsible and that you work together with your doctor.

 Tidbit #3: Most practitioners of today’s modern, or more traditional medical practices shun the use of herbal medicine in favor of those that have been proven in laboratory tests. On the other hand, herbalists remain convinced that the proof that their techniques work is in the number of patients they have been able to help without side effects.