Why I don't buy many herbal supplements these days

I tried growing flax seeds once, but it didn't work out.

Again, Edgar. You can't keep people out of your threads in a public forum. And you are being rather hypocritical... you inserted atheism into my science thread (which wasn't my intent). I accepted the topic and responded civilly. You didn't see me acting this way, I certainly didn't start swearing.

The issue of placebos is tied up with the herbal supplement industry. They go together. There is a large amount of scientific literature on the subject.

I think my posts on this thread are completely relevant to your posts (about whether companies are adding certain ingredients). If you don't agree, you could respond civilly, or you could ignore me.

I don't think your response to my contribution to this thread is appropriate.

I brought the catnip inside and tried to keep it going - I like it fresh in tea. But it didn't want to keep going (I've had a bigger one last through winter outdoors here, but this plant was a junior sort). Facing the fact of imminent catmint loss, I tried drying it, as I do with rosemary, lavender, bla blah, and it was just too damned twiddly to deal with. I did succeed with drying apple mint last year...

Back in CA, I grew several kinds of thyme, camomile, fennel, basils, parsleys, dill, and stuff I'm not remembering. I'll have to read up on what can make it inside at x temp.

You start a thread asking for civil discussion, then want to be an asshole. Go for it.

Edgar, the thread I started asking for civil discussion said we should accept dissenting opinions without making vulgar personal attacks. On this thread I am stating my opinion about herbal supplements. You apparently disagree, but I don't have any problem with that. I certainly am not going to attack you personally.

I stated my opinion. I am sorry you disagree. I wish you would stop the personal attacks.

I am not going to escalate this little discussion. But I do have the right to state my opinion.

I have not Googled this right now before posting, but I seem to recall that most medicines used to be compounded in the pharmacy, often from herbs.

Most herbal supplements are not supported by science. People are being sold the "ancient cures" and "traditions", this is the realm of religion rather than medicine.

That being said placebos can be a good thing, and herbal medicine can fill this role. The problem is when they are dangerous, or when they prevent someone from seeking legitimate treatment for a real medical condition.

We are a society that depends on science, and benefits greatly from science in our health, our longevity and our quality of life. The backlash against science is a little perplexing.

Bullshit and balderdash.

The 'active ingredients' found in most patent medicines are no more than artificially chemically reconstituted versions of substances found quite naturally in herbs and plants that grow quite naturally in the wild. Even penicillin is just a special mold.

Could you give examples?

There is a very good reason that we give our children Penicillin rather than just having them eat special mold. One may have been derived from the other, but they are not the same thing, nor are they equally effective.

That's Max's World. It's civil discussion on his terms, slur and innuendo are perfectly acceptable, as is an insistence on ignoring the thread title, and just talking about what he wants to talk about, and to hell with everyone else. Now you've called him an asshole, he'll play the part of the wounded soldier ad nauseam. Don't expect him to do the decent thing.

I drink beetroot juice everyday. For juice it's quite pricey, even more so in the health food shops. Other than that I take cod liver oil and glucosamine if I get aches in my joints, or injure my joints.

Slur and innuendo? (This is kind of funny coming from people who use blatant personal attack and vulgarity).

I haven't slurred anyone here. I have merely posted my opinion. I don't it is appropriate for you and Edgar to take such offense that someone would disagree with you in a public forum.

Civility means allowing people who disagree without to express their opinions without facing personal attacks or vulgarity. I will point out again that I allowed Edgar to express his opinion on my science thread, and I didn't attack him for it.

Calling for civility is different than stamping out differing opinions.

even better civility means not assuming that the person who voices a bad idea is defective. We are not Gods, we humans are often wrong, even the best and most educated of us.

Some guys are confused about "herbal supplements".

Herbal supplements do not include vitamins, or fish oil, and so forth.

It is weird listening from a doctor recommending herbal supplements, but doctors might recommend vitamins, Iron supplements, Magnesium and similar.

Herbal supplements might include Aloe Vera, Echinacea, garlic, ginseng, green tea, and similar.