Ask A Healer Prescription Drugs Series

Bridging Traditional and Natural Medicine - Can prescription drugs and natural remedies be safely used together?
© Neva J Howell, All Rights Reserved

Is it either / or when it comes to natural medicines and prescription drugs? Must a person choose between utilizing the gifts of nature and the drugs of science? It's a tough question.

Even though most prescription drugs have their origins in plant medicines, there is a world of difference between the two....so big a difference that many wonder if the two approaches to wellness can ever work together.

A natural plant medicine is just that....naturally in balance. The finest chemist in the world creates plants and no laboratory can ever hope to match the delicate synergy of a whole-plant preparation.

On the other hand, prescription drugs often alleviate symptoms and pain much more quickly than herbs. Also, in cases of medical crisis, herbs and other natural remedies may not have time to work.

Both prescription drugs and alternative health care remedies have their place in the world of wellness but can these two worlds ever meet? Can a person safely use natural remedies and prescription drugs?

Question on alternative health care / spiritual healing: I take a lot of herbs and vitamins and I often use homeopathics but I have been concerned as to whether or not to suggest them for my mom, who is on a lot of medicines for her heart. Would it be safe?

Healing facilitation response:
I used to try to suggest natural alternatives for my family, for heartburn, gas, insomnia, etc. but I have just about stopped now because there are just too many interactions possible with drugs.

Some foods even interact with prescription drugs (grapefruit is a big one) so unless you are a pharmacist, you can't know if an herb or other natural formula would cause a reaction or not.

The main reason it's difficult to suggest natural supplements alongside prescription drugs is that the natural supplements perform the same function as the drugs and can do it a bit too well or too quickly.

The best option is to find a doctor willing to wean you off the drugs as the natural supplements begin to normalize the situation.

There are herbs that have quite a relationship of result with heart problems. The two I know most about are cayenne and hawthorn.

I have utilized both herbs at vulnerable times in my life, because heart disease is prevelant in my genetic blood line on both sides.

However, I'm not in the same position as someone with a diagnosed heart problem who is on a lot of prescription drugs already so I can't possibly say whether these herbs, safe as they are for most people and despite the long history of use and success, would be ok for your mom.

If your mom is open to a natural approach, you could find a qualified nutritionist, homeopath or naturopath to ask about her medications but even then, you just have to be on the safe side and ask her doctor before adding anything new.

Ask a Healer Recommend Herbals
Sometimes herbal remedies don't work
because the formulas are not made with
vibrant, healthy herbs. Using inferior herbs,
too-high heat or too-rapid processing can
result in an inferior herbal product. For
potent, effective herbal remedies, prepared
by a master herbalist, may I suggest:

It is also vital to understand a major difference between prescription drug treatment and natural remedies:

A natural remedy will help the body build, strengthen, rejuvenate and repair itself to restore normal balance over time.

A prescription drug typically maintains a certain state of artificial balance in the body which can happen rapidly and which depends on continuing with dosage to sustain balance.

Prescription drugs, with some exceptions, are aimed at controlling symptoms and not restoring the body's natural ability toward normal functioning.

For example, diuretics given for heart patients force elimination, instead of assisting the body in establishing healthy elimination of fluids. What if the body is strengthened to the point that it starts taking care of fluids in the body? What does that do to the action of the diuretic? This is something only a doctor can answer.

The good news is that there are doctors out there who are willing to wean people off drugs when they start getting better and willing to frequently monitor patients to see when improvement is such that a reduction in meds is possible.

The point is that prescription drugs keep the body in a certain artificial state of balance that, in most cases, depends on continued use of the drug to maintain that balance.

Because natural remedies assist the body in healing itself, we need to look at what happens when the shift toward healing begins and medication dosages may need to be adjusted.

Part Two - Is self-treatment for you? - This may be of particular interest to those who are taking Nexium, Protonix or Prilosec.

Profile in Natural Healing: Do Herbal Remedies Work?

Health Care Disclaimer: If you are currently taking prescription drugs, it is vital that you discuss the addition of any health supplements with your doctor, to rule out interactions or interference with the drugs you are taking. The information contained in any alternative health care / spiritual healing article or material on this site is not intended to take the place of personal medical advice from your health care professional.