By Lisa A Flam, Today.com
Herbal medicine is moving into the mainstream at one of the nation’s top hospitals.
At the Cleveland Clinic, Eastern and Western medicine are being practiced alongside each other. The latest addition to the mix is herbal treatments, which have been used in China and other eastern countries for centuries.
“There are more ways of healing than just our conventional medicine,” Dr. Melissa Young, of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine, told TODAY. “It doesn’t have to be an either-or, and we’re seeing, I think, the best results often when we can combine both philosophies.”
Much of the research on using herbs as medicine has been done outside of the United States, but doctors at the Cleveland Clinic believe herbs can be effective when properly administered and monitored, as they can contain contaminants or be toxic if used improperly.
“I think there’s this misconception that if something’s natural, that it’s safe, and that’s not always the case,” Young said. “They really need to be under the guidance of an integrative physician who has experience and training in this field.”
At the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine, patients need a doctor’s referral to see a Chinese herbal provider, and their care is monitored by doctors. It is not covered by insurance, so patients pay out-of-pocket.
Dr. Mehmet Oz told TODAY’s Matt Lauer that he “adores” herbal medicines and applauded the Cleveland Clinic. But he stressed the importance of receiving herbal treatments from a knowledgeable provider.
