As in any market, trends come and go. You will find the most popular trends with consumers and much of it is marketing. There is money in selling herbs/dietary supplements and the public is vulnerable to many of the suggestions. As a Clinical Herbalist that has studied for many years, I see a lot of misguided or plain false information on social media, from MLM companies, the community, health professionals, health fairs, and the internet. One way to avoid the “misinformation”, "copy-cat reporting”, or “opinionated” dialogue is to do your own research. I highly suggest to get your information from someone that is not profiting from the information/product to begin with. I would also highly suggest you ask or research where that information came from and if they have credentials in herbalism or years of clinical experience to back it up. Just quoting a study on an herb does not equal correct information either. Look at how the study is done, who paid for it, and what results others using it in their practice are having.
Let’s take social media first. I have come across memes that market one particular herb as a cure-all, or compare it to a pharmaceutical drug. These are false! You can always verify an herb’s properties, the studies done on each herb, or search and see if the consensus is correct with experienced practitioners. Some posts have a list of uses, but refrain from telling you how they work or even if they will work for everyone. The answer is no, they won’t work the same for everyone. Wild lettuce is not as potent as morphine and bay leaves have many medicinal uses, but they are not the cure-all expressed in a shared meme. In these instances, if a meme sounds too good to be true, it is! If you want to learn how an herb works, what parts are used, how to harvest it, how to use it, what is the best preparation for its use, what contraindications/interactions there are, and at what dosages……do some research. In other words, do not get your training and learning experience from social media or the internet only. Just because there is an article on the internet from a Dr. So-and-so, does not mean that person has the experience with herbs. Some of these “herbalists” are all book knowledge and have never harvested an herb, made it into medicine, or worked with clients or their community to know how an herb tastes let alone how it works in individuals. Anyone can write about an herb by picking information over the internet that benefits the readers, but do they actually have practical experience with it? Reach out to trained professionals in herbalism, go to conferences, read many books on the subject, or take classes in your area to get more knowledge.
So, what are the current trends? Right now, Elderberry syrup, Turmeric or Curcumin, CBD or marijuana, and essential oils. In the past, you would have seen more about Echinacea, Goldenseal, Ginseng, St. John’s wort, Ashwagandha, etc. How do you know they are trending? News stories talk about them, everyone wants it based on one/multiple benefits they have because many people said so, everyone is getting in on selling them because they are making money off of that one herb/constituent of an herb, and you can find them on any store shelf. According to the American Botanical Council, sales in the U.S in 2018 for herbal supplements were $8.842 billion dollars. What does this mean for the consumer? For the average consumer that doesn’t have any knowledge or experience with herbs, they will believe what they are told from marketing strategies. Do these herbs work? Absolutely! However, this doesn’t mean they are the only herb that will benefit the condition/symptom, they are the best part of the herb used, they should be the first thing an individual reaches for (or even if they should reach for it at all), they are the best preparation used, they are the safest alternative, or if they are considered an herb at all (or just a chemical constituent of the herb).
Let’s take a look at some of the current trends:
Elderberry syrup - Everyone has to have it because it is touted as an immune stimulant and there is a lot of fear about virus or flu strains going around. It will stimulate the immune system, but should it be taken by everyone? Should it be taken long term for prevention? The answer is no for both. I read an article on the internet (I won’t name names) that stated it helped their Lyme disease and allergies! Of course this is not the normal use or traditional use of this herb even though it has been known to help with respiratory symptoms (the flowers). This seems to be one person’s experience. It does not mean we should all run out and get elderberry syrup to cure our Lyme!! Herbs just don’t work that way. The individual has to be taken into consideration as well along with their past and their symptoms. Traditionally, elder flowers were the part used and elderberries were used for pies and jams. The best preparation to use is an infusion (tea), vinegar, or tincture of the flowers. Does the syrup work? Yes, but it has the most sugar. In my opinion, it is cheaper to purchase or harvest the flowers and make a tea. There are also many other herbs that can stimulate the immune system.
Turmeric - Turmeric root is popular as an anti-inflammatory. Yes, this is true! However, there are many herbs that are anti-inflammatory. Curcumin is not the same as turmeric, and taking these capsules are not the best way to get these benefits. Curcumin is just one chemical constituent that is shown to be anti-inflammatory from turmeric root. This does not mean it is the only one in the root itself helping in that action. Single constituents are not herbs. Traditionally, turmeric is heated with fat(milk) and black pepper for the best absorption rate. You also need higher doses of the root to be anti-inflammatory. In other words, I wouldn’t just rely on this one herb for that action alone. Another thing to consider is that it is not always the right herb for everyone. Turmeric is both warming and drying. This means that it is not the right herb for someone who is already warm and dry (I’m talking constitution and energetics here).
Marijuana and CBD - Now here is the hot debated herb of the last few years! Many people believe it has medicinal benefits. Of course it does!! It is an herb with medicinal actions; however, it is not the only herb with those particular actions. Legalizing medical marijuana is fantastic except the government and certain privileged corporations are the only ones benefiting from this. Now imagine if the individuals looking for just the medicinal benefits learned about other herbs? Because there are other herbs that can help pain, anxiety, seizures, tension, or insomnia. CBD is a single constituent of marijuana. It is the cannabidiol component of marijuana that contributes to the medicinal actions. Again, this is a single constituent and not the herb itself, it is not a cure-all, and it does not work the same on every individual. I am not saying that marijuana or CBD doesn’t work or that it should be regulated/legal or illegal. I just want the public to understand that there are alternatives, lifestyle modifications, and combined therapies/herbs that can help each individual with their needs besides marijuana or CBD alone.
Essential oils: There are many things I want to say about essential oils. First, I love them! I love the fragrance and use them in aromatherapy or in salves sometimes when needed. I personally do not use them as often as others because of sustainability issues. To make essential oils, it takes large amounts of plant material to distill a small one ounce bottle. This contributes to over harvesting and the near extinction of certain plants. Frankincense is one of those that is near extinction and best left alone. I can easily use a small amount of any herb to make traditional preparations such as infusions, tinctures, vinegars, oxymels, ointments, steams, baths, or even syrups. Not only am I using smaller quantities of the individual herbs, I am saving money too! I am also using the whole herb to get the traditional benefits rather than just the volatile oil components. There is a difference between herbal infused oils and essential oils. When historical content mentions an oil, they are most likely talking about an oil extracting an herb rather than an herb being distilled for fragrance. Be sure to verify which one they are speaking about. Safety is a concern as well. Know whether it is safe to take the herb/single constituent internally, with medications, or with certain conditions. Essential oils for the most part should not be taken internally and they definitely don’t mix with water. Research safety and safe use practices from other sources than the company/person making the money. There is a lot of good information by certified clinical aromatherapists not distorted by opinions, marketing, or lack of clinical use. I love Erika Galentin’s book, “The Family Guide to Aromatherapy”. Just because one or a few people say it is safe, please be diligent in your own research.
I really wanted to speak about the trends and misguided information that is dominating our society because safety is important to me. I really want each one of you to be responsible for your own research before taking anybody’s opinion or claim on the benefits of any herb or single constituent of an herb. This includes myself! Learn from multiple sources or professionals and take a good look at historical uses of each herb. Question competency and experience and don’t follow the money. Learn from multiple practitioners and attend classes when you can. Information is knowledge and knowledge is power! Be safe!