Does Natural Work?

The question we Hear most often is, “Do Natural products work?” 

Yes they do work and just as well as pharmaceutical products. 

Prior to chemical imitations, we healed ourselves naturally and effectively through the consumption, inhalation, and application of plants and herbs. There was never any doubt as to the effectiveness of white willow tree bark (natural salicyclic acid). If it wasn't effective, the chemical and pharmaceutical company, Bayer, wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to synthesize, patent, and mass produce it. By 1899, just two years after its invention, aspirin (the active ingredient is synthetic salicyclic acid) was the top selling remedy in the world.

As a matter of fact, over 20% of medicinal drugs in the U.S. are synthesized from plants. Synthesizing the beneficial properties of plants and herbs is just that - synthetic. Cheap to produce, chemical imitations of the properties that plants and herbs naturally produce.

But when you think about it, instead of using the cheap, chemical imitation - wouldn't you rather use the pure, unadulterated version produced by nature?

How can Plants Help Humans?

Plants must maintain and protect themselves through diverse arrays of complex natural products that they make from the inorganic components of air, soil, and water because they lack the flight response. Remarkably, the oldest known living eukaryotic organism, turning 4772 years old in 2007, is a specimen of a bristlecone pine, Pinus longaeva, growing in the White Mountains of Inyo County, California. Many other plants can live hundreds of years without succumbing to diseases or predation. It should come to no surprise that some of the compounds that have enabled plants to survive may also be used to maintain the health and well-being of humans.
— National Center for Biotechnology Information

Why Is There So Little Evidence About CAM (Complementary And Alternative Medicine)?

One reason for the lack of research in alternative treatments is that large, carefully controlled medical studies are costly. Trials for conventional therapies are often funded by big companies that develop and sell drugs. Fewer resources are available to support trials of CAM therapies. That’s why NCCAM [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health] was established — to foster research into CAM and make the findings available to the public.
— Mayo Clinic

Why are some doctors hesitant about CAM?

Many conventional doctors practicing today didn’t receive training in CAM or integrative medicine, so they may not feel comfortable making recommendations or addressing questions in this area. Doctors also have good reason to be cautious when it comes to some CAM. Conventional medicine values therapies that have been demonstrated through research and testing to be safe and effective. While scientific evidence exists for some CAM therapies, for many there are key questions that are yet to be answered. In addition, some CAM practitioners make exaggerated claims about curing diseases, and some ask you to forgo treatment from your conventional doctor. For these reasons, many doctors are cautious about recommending these therapies.
— Mayo Clinic

One thing to keep in mind is not every product (pharmaceutical or natural) works for everyone as our bodies our unique and metabolize things differently. At Botanical Therapy, we would never recommend that you forgo consultation or treatment from your physician.