Herbalism, fad or future?
By: Eline Postma
Tags: Herbalism, Pharmaceutical, Ayurveda, Holistic Health, Chronic Disease

“Turmeric is a hype.” A very definitive statement I read on an IG story by someone who had prescribed to the biochemical model of herbs, which is what is used by the modern pharmaceutical industry. This model analyses the chemical constituents of herbs and tries to identify and extract the active ingredients. Herbs are judged by their chemical components, and if they are not strongly active, the herb is said to have little medicinal value. The complex herbs we find in Eastern medicine, such as the tonic Ayurvedic herb ashwagandha, often don’t have a simple active ingredient and would therefore be considered to have little biochemical value.

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This model perpetuates the idea that the human body is essentially a chemical factory that can be influenced by feeding it the right chemicals, without any recognition of the prana (vital life force) or consciousness that transcends or underlies this biochemistry. As a result, this model does not work through nature, but rather tries to manipulate it to achieve dramatic results. And while there is no denying that they are effective, its results are not sustainable in the long run. How many patients do you know that take drugs to counteract the side effects of their other drugs?

As an example, diuretic drugs are far more potent than their herbal counterparts, but do we also consider their weakening action on the kidneys? Modern pharmaceuticals focus on alleviating symptoms on a short-term basis, but the long-term effects of medicine are so much more important and generally overlooked in this system.

The bioenergetic model

Ayurveda, along with other traditional forms of medicine including Traditional Chinese Medicine, and ancient Greek Medicine, classify herbs according to their taste, energy, post-digestive effects, and specific action, relative to the elements they are made up of. It mostly focuses on the effect of herbs on the whole body from an Ayurvedic physiological perspective: the Doshas (mind-body constitutions), tissues, systems and waste materials.

From a biochemical standpoint, this approach seems simplistic and naive as there is no analysis of chemical components and their effects. But the same can be said the other way around. The biochemical model could also be seen as naive because it misses the main focus of healing: the effect of drugs and herbs on the life-force of the body.

So, what if we accept that herbs cannot always be understood chemically? The prana both in herbs and the body is something that cannot be measured (yet) by the tools we have developed –just like bacteria couldn’t be studied until a few hundred years ago because the tools weren’t yet invented. That doesn’t mean microorganisms weren’t there before we had microscopes. Herbs, as complex organic substances, cannot be fully understood outside of the human body as such. They may catalyse certain processes in the body that cannot be understood simply in terms of biochemistry.

It is my current view that when herbs are studied in a clinical trial, they are taken out of the holistic context they were part of, which includes diet and lifestyle. If we then proceed to test these herbs in a lab using the same framework as defined by the biochemical approach, we’re going to get completely different results.

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When looking at Ayurveda specifically as a system of healing, we should understand that it is not a standardised form of medicine and therefore does not have ‘one size fits all’ remedies for each disease as the allopathic system would. As Dr David Frawley, an American Ayurvedic practitioner, tells his patients: “You cannot expect to get well through natural healing methods, if your life is out of harmony with nature.” In other words, you cannot expect your daily turmeric latte to lower inflammation if you are seated behind a desk 9 hours a day and prepare food from a box at home.

The allopathic model seems to be: identify disease through symptoms → treat symptoms. This perpetuates a cycle we can’t seem to break out of, which is especially true for mysterious chronic diseases such as IBS, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. The natural system of medicine on the other hand identifies the root cause of disease, and proceeds to restore the natural balance of the body through the usage of herbs, diet, and lifestyle practices.

Thus, as a holistic system of medicine, its effectiveness simply cannot be measured by non-holistic quantitative testing. So how can we know if it works? Through personal experience, and through the experience of the societies that have come before us in the last 5000 years. There is a reason Ayurveda is gaining popularity in the West. We are finally beginning to understand the importance of living a life that is in alignment with our nature.

Disclaimer: the intention of this article is not to take the place of personalised care provided by a health care provider. It is purely educational in nature about Ayurveda and various wellness topics, and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease.

Background: Ayurvedic Healing Course, the American Institute of Vedic Studies