Should herbals be in your future? Experts explore herbal options


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Should herbals be in your future?
Experts explore herbal options
By Linda Segall

Americans are taking control of their healthcare — and a large number of them prefer to take control naturally by using herbal supplements.

In 2004, the largest study ever conducted on the use of complementary and alternative healthcare¹ showed that 19 percent of adult Americans use natural products. This figure is in line with results of earlier studies, such as one done in 2002 of 979 preoperative patients, which indicated that 17.4 percent took herbal or dietary supplements.

Although we might think it is the middle-aged baby-boomer generation who takes more herbals, studies show that both older and younger people are in the herbal market.

In 2000, research pointed to 61 percent of patients over age 65 taking herbal remedies.² The same study said that a larger proportion of Hispanic patients (77 percent) than whites (47 percent) used herbal remedies.

More recent research (2005) of women aged 65 or older³ revealed that 84 percent have used at least one dietary supplement within the last 12 months, with 25 percent having used an herbal.

And a 2004 study of a nonrandom sampling of 1,754 students and medical practitioners⁴ showed that more than half of the students used herbals, primarily for relief of physical symptoms, prevention of illness, and improvement of general well-being. Many students lacked accurate information about herbal products.

These studies convincingly confirm that Americans want to take charge of their healthcare with natural products. And their intent can positively affect your practice.

To help you talk to patients about herbal remedies, Chiropractic Economics asked a panel of experts to share insights on the use of herbals in practices. Included on our panel were (in alphabetical order, by company):

• Virender Sodhi, MD (Ayurved), ND — Ayush Herbs, Inc., www.ayush.com;

• Joe Messino — Douglas Laboratories, www.douglaslabs.com;

• Taryn Forrelli, ND — NewMark/New Chapter, Inc., www.new-chapter.com;

• Lee Carroll — Standard Process, Inc., www.standardprocess.com;

• Galen O. Ballard — Titan Laboratories, www.titanlabs.com; and

• DicQie Fuller-Looney, PhD, DSc, ND — Transformation Enzyme Corporation, www.transformationenzymes.com.

CE: Patients who want to take control of their health need to understand their options. How should a chiropractor explain the term “herbal remedy” to them?

Ballard: An herbal remedy is any medication prepared from plants for treatment of disease or ailment.

Carroll: “Herbal remedy” is a broad term used to describe almost any product containing an herb. The term “medicinal plant” may make it easier for patients to understand, because medicinal plants have had a long history of human use. They have a unique chemistry that allows a healing effect.

Messino: Herbs have been used for healing for thousands of years. Herbs and the substances extracted from them form the basis for most medication in use today. But the major difference between herbal remedies and medication is that herbs do not carry the risk of side effects of pharmaceuticals.

CE: Another term patients may be confused about is “supplement.” What is the difference between supplements and herbs?

Sodhi: Supplements and herbs are somewhat similar. Vitamins and minerals are essential for our bodies. Unfortunately a lot of them are lost in the modern diet, which is why we need to use supplements. Herbs are foods that provide the nutritional support needed to balance our health.

Messino: Supplement is a generic term that applies to vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, EFAs, and herbs. It applies to any micro nutrient used to provide nutritents that are no longer be obtained in the diet.

Carroll: Herbs are just a type of supplement. Dietary supplement is the technical term used to describe all vitamins, minerals, herbs, and homeopathics.

CE: Why should chiropractors recommend and provide herbs to their patients?

Sodhi: In acute and chronic conditions, patients need extra nutritional support, since the body uses a lot of energy to stay healthy. Using anti-inflammatory herbs such asboswellia, curcumin, ashwagandha, ginger, and guggul help adjustments hold better.

Forrelli: Chiropractors who embrace herbal remedies as their healing partners enjoy tremendous patient satisfaction. Herbal medicine can be used to safely support manipulative therapies. Herbal remedies such as ginger, turmeric, white willow, holy basil, and green tea are incredibly effective in helping the body promote a healthy inflammation response. And unlike pharamaceuticals they have side-benefits instead of side-effects!

Ballard: For the same reason an MD prescribes a prescription drug — to fight disease or ailments. The major different is that most prescription drugs fight the symptoms of an illness, whereas an herbal remedy fights the cause and lessens the change of it reoccurring.

CE: Are some practices better-suited to carry herbs than others?

Sodhi: Any size practice can carry herbs. Those practices that concentrate on nutritional support will especially benefit from the medicinal values herbs have to offer.

Forrelli: All practices could benefit from carrying herbs, but the prescribing chiropractor must be willing to take the time to explain to their patients why they are recommending the product, how to take it, how long to take it, and what to expect from it. An herbal medicinary can generate increased revenues for the office; however, there must be storage space as well as an organized inventory and ordering system in place.

Fuller-Looney: Some practices cannot offer herbals because of the rules set by chiropractic boards. Several states do not allow chiropractors to offer supplements — only chiropractic care.

CE: How does a chiropractor get started with herbal remedies?

Fuller-Looney: Read books on herbals. Take online courses. And attend seminars provided by health providers and nutritional companies.

Sodhi: Choose a reputable company that will train you and provide GMP-(general manufacturing principles) standardized quality herbs.

Messino: Attend conferences and seminars to become educated about herbs.

Forrelli: Start with the basics, such as herbs to help support a healthy inflammation response. There are a number of patented herbal formulas from reputable companies decidated to providing quality researched products.

Carroll: Start simply and take it slowly. Find an herbal company you trust. Begin with a few products (five or six) and get to know them. The most obvious are those that deal with musculoskeletal support, but many practices have specialties. Stick with what you know.

Ballard: Begin with an anti-inflammatory, an anti-spasmodic, a connective-tissue repair formula, a digestive aid, an immune-system booster, and a natural pain reliever.

Tips on marketing herbals

Herbals that sit in inventory do not bring in revenues. More than 39 percent of chiropractors carry herbal products, according to our 8th Annual Salary and Expense Survey (Vol. 51, Iss. 6), yet these practices do no claim a significant revenue flow from this area of business.

Our experts give tips on increasing sales of supplements.

• Get yourself into a proper mindset. Believe in yourself as a practitioner and don’t make an assumption about the public’s willingness to pay for products that will keep them healthy, says Fuller-Looney.

• Include a nutritional assessment in the health history. This helps position you as a wellness provider, says Messino.

• Set up a good display. Put your display in the waiting area to advertise that you carry herbals, says Forrelli.

• Have good marketing materials available. These are generally available from herbal companies, says Sodhi.

• Give talks on nutrition. Do it yourself, says Sodhi, or schedule a guest speaker. Include herbal recommendations in the talk, as well as in your report of findings.

• Assign a wellness coordinator. Put this person in charge of dispensing herbal remedies, says Messino. Put the person in charge of calling patients to see how they are doing and to remind them that they need more product or it may be time to move into the next step of treatment, says Fuller-Looney.

• Talk to your patients. Advise them that 90 percent of all prescription drugs are for health conditions that can be addressed with natural remedies, supplementation, and lifestyle changes, says Ballard.

• Train your staff. Your staff often has more contact with patients than you do, says Carroll. Give them proper training on the products.

• Follow up. When patients return for follow-up visits, ask them about their response to the herbals you recommend, says Forrelli.

Linda Segall is editor-in-chief of Chiropractic Economics. She can be reached by e-mail at lsegall@chiroeco.com.

REFERENCES
¹ Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults: United States, 2002. May 27, 2004.

² Rhyne, EJ et al, “The influence of ethnicity on use of herbal remedies in elderly Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites,” J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash). 2000 (may-Jun; 40(3):359-65

³ Gordon, Nancy P. and Schaffer, Donna M, “Use of dietary supplements by female seniors in a large Northern California health plan,” BMC Geriatrics 2005, 5:4

⁴ Ambrose, ET, and Samuels S., “Perception and use of herbals among students and their practitioners in a university setting,” J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2004 Apr.; 16(4):166-73

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