How do you know which to chose?

▪ History, How long have people been taking herbs for

health?
▪ Are they safe?
▪ Whole Herbs-what are they?
▪ Standardized Herbs-what are they?
▪ How can I know which to chose?
▪ What are good resources to utilize?
▪ 60,000 years old
▪ Trial & Error turned into historical
documentation
▪ Oldest documentation-5,000 years old
▪ At least 25% of modern drugs are derived
from herbal plants
▪ Consider the source
▪ Contact an Herbalist for Guidance
▪ Consult with your Doctor
▪ Keep Learning
“Herbal medicinal products are
widely considered to be of lower
risk compared with synthetic
drugs” (Junhua Zhang, 2015)
▪ Dried & Encapsulated or made into Teas
▪ Processed & Preserved in Alcohol
▪ All ingredients working together
▪ Was the beginning of Modern Medicine
▪ Long track record of safety & efficacy The herb in its natural form:
leaves, stems, flowers, and/or
root.
▪ Also called ‘extracts’
▪ Dried & Encapsulated
▪ Processed & Preserved in Alcohol
▪ All ingredients working together
▪ Was the beginning of Modern Medicine
The herb in its natural form:
▪ Long track record of safety & efficacy leaves, stems, flowers, and/or
root.
 WHOLE HERB STANDARDIZED HERB
All components More potent-smaller
PROS
synergized dosages
Less expensive Efficacy measurable
Less adulterants risk Safety made easy
The Whole Herb vs. The
Standardized Herb

A list of PROS for each

 WHOLE HERB STANDARDIZED HERB
Can’t be tested for More Expensive
consistency
CONS
Each batch can vary in Strong bitter tastes
efficacy (liquid tinctures)
Less Potent-larger Potential risk with
dosages solvent chemicals The Whole Herb vs. The
Standardized Herb

A list of CONS for each

Herb Research Foundation-www.herbs.org

American Botanical Council-www.herbalgram.org

Gaia Herbs-www.gaiaherbs.com/pages/our-guiding-
truths

https://thrivevibrantly.weebly.com/
Petrovska B. B. (2012). Historical review of medicinal plants' usage. Pharmacognosy
reviews, 6(11), 1–5. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.95849. Retrieved from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358962/
Vickers, A., Zollman, C., & Lee, R. (2001). Herbal medicine. The Western journal of
medicine, 175(2), 125–128. doi:10.1136/ewjm.175.2.125. Retrieved from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071505/
Kosowski, A. (n.d.). Whole Herbs vs. Standardized Herbal Extracts: Which is Better?.
Retrieved from: https://www.nowfoods.com/now/nowledge/whole-herbs-vs-
standardized-herbal-extracts-which-better
Zhang, J., et.al., (2015). The Safety of Herbal Medicine: From Prejudice to
Evidence, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2015,
Article ID 316706, 3 pages, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/316706.
Levine, H. (2018). Whole Herb Vs. Herbal Extract: Which is Better? Retrieved from:
https://vitalplan.com/blog/whole-herb-vs-herbal-extract-which-is-better