Dear Dietician: Natural Remedies

Dear Readers,

Chances are many of you who are reading this are taking some type of herbal supplement. Be it ginseng for better energy, saw palmetto for prostate health, or echinacea to improve immunity, many are turning to natural remedies for their health.

It is important to know that herbal supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As with any medication, herbal remedies may have side effects. To be safe, talk to your doctor before starting an herbal treatment.

Dear Dietitian is committed to educating consumers on scientifically-based nutrition. The table below lists particular herbal remedies and the results of scientific research as far as their effectiveness: See image

References

1.Hasanzade, Farzaneh, et al. The Effect of Cinnamon on Glucose of Type II Diabetes Patients. J Tradit Complement Med. 2013 Jul-Sep; 3(3): 171–174.

2. Boehm K, Borrelli F, Ernst E, et al. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) for the prevention of cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009;(3):CD005004 [edited 2010]. Accessed at http://www.thecochranelibrary.com(link is external) on April 16, 2015.

3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-milk-thistle/art-20362885

4. Jacobs, Bradly P., MD, MPH. Milk thistle for the treatment of liver disease. The American Journal of Medicine. 2002 Oct; 113 (6) 506-515.

5. Pietro Dulbecco and Vincenzo Savarino. Therapeutic potential of curcumin in digestive diseases. World J Gastroenterol. 2013 Dec 28; 19(48): 9256–9270.

6. Barrett B, Medicinal properties of Echinacea: A critical review. Phytomedicine. 2003;10(1):66-86.

7. Arring, NM, et al. Ginseng as a treatment for fatigue: a systematic review. J Altern Complement Med. 2018 Jul;24(7):624-633.

8. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/kombucha-tea/faq-20058126

9. Singh M, Das HH, Zinc for the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Feb 16;(2):CD001364. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001364.pub3

10. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/palmetto/ataglance.htm

11. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjw-and-depression.htm#hed1

Good health to you!

Dear Dietitian

Leanne McCrate, RD, LD, CNSC, aka Dear Dietitian, is an award-winning dietitian based in Missouri. Do you have a nutrition question? Email her today at [email protected].