Two plants, one colour word and a large number of people who think they’re related (they aren’t). A word on why I’m writing about herbs at all.
The whole point is simply to pass on my own experience which is that giving first preference to herbal medicines at home via home remedies is far better than going on heavy medicines or taking an antibiotic dose. You don’t need to go to the doctor in the first instance with the very minor symptoms such as a slight headache, a slight cough, a bit of body pain due to being a bit tired and generally fatigued. I make it very clear that this is just general information and I’m not a doctor at all. I’m just sharing my own experience which is that home remedies can work at the very first stage. If you have four or so minor symptoms then home remedies will not work if your symptoms are actually quite severe.
In that case you will need to go to your doctor, get properly checked out and diagnosed and then follow the appropriate course. I am aware of a number of sites from various sources that sell genuine, authentic herbal products which you can get by prescription from your doctor. Don’t start any of this on your own. You should go to your doctor first. There are a number of examples of this, for instance Red Sage (from the Lamiaceae family) which I mentioned previously. It’s useful in supporting the flexibility of the blood vessels, in the management of chest tightness and is also an antioxidant which will help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
That’s the frame. Now the plants.
Same color word, different families
Red sage and red ginseng are confused as both refer to a red root. That’s where the similarity ends.
Red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza, also sold as danshen)
- Family: Lamiaceae, the mint family
- Part used: the dried root, red-brown from pigments called tanshinones
- Traditional home: Chinese herbal medicine, mostly for circulation
- Main caution: can interact with blood thinners such as warfarin
Red ginseng (Panax ginseng)
- Family: Araliaceae, the ginseng family
- Part used: the root, steamed and then dried, which is what turns it reddish-brown
- Traditional home: Korean and Chinese tonics for tiredness and low stamina
- Main caution: can affect blood sugar, blood pressure and sleep, and can interact with warfarin and diabetes medicines
One root gets its colour from the plant, the other from the processing. Different chemistry, different family, different risks.
Why the common name can’t be trusted
A common name is much the same as a brand name in that it suggests a certain quality or characteristic which the product may not actually have. “Red sage” could be Salvia miltiorrhiza (the red leaved garden sage used for cooking) or it could be Lantana camara (the ornamental shrub which is toxic if ingested). Only the Latin name will tell you which it is. If there’s no Latin name on the label or from the seller then don’t buy it. If you’ve got a plant in your garden which has a common name and no Latin name which you’ve verified then don’t eat it.
Ginseng has the same problem. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a completely different species and ‘Siberian ginseng’ isn’t Panax at all.
What home care covers
Start with the boring things that cost almost nothing:
- Warm liquids and rest
- A salt water gargle for a sore throat
- Honey for a cough, in anyone over one year old
- Steam, carefully, because hot water burns are a common kitchen injury
Seasonal colds and that sort of mild sore throat will generally sort themselves out. Medicines do still have a place. Over-the-counter painkillers can be a bit of a strain on the kidneys and the liver if taken too frequently or for too long. Antibiotics are only for the actual bacterial infection that a doctor has diagnosed so that’s an argument for taking them when you need to, not an argument against them.
The bad version of “home remedies first”
It’s a week of a throat that’s getting progressively worse and treated with capsules as they’re ‘natural’, a herb on top of a prescription that no-one ever mentioned and no doctor at all until it actually starts to hurt to swallow. ‘Natural’ doesn’t mean ‘safe’ and home care is the first step, not a position you’re going to stand by.
Here is the point where home care stops being enough for me.
There was a period in my life when I used to have a chronic sore throat for 10 years. It would happen every year in the November month (around the 10th to 12th) as the cold weather sets in in India. I would go to the ENT every year in that month. They would do a blood test (normal), a chest x-ray (normal) and then commence on high dose antibiotics to deal with the bacteria in the throat. As my TLC is high the body is in a state of fighting the bacteria. I would be suffocated and not be able to sleep at all due to the irritation in the throat. My tonsils would be swollen and there would be quite a few white patches visible. I was absolutely drained during that time with my chronic tonsils. I asked the doctor for a permanent solution and they told me the only option left is to have the tonsils removed. I respect their decision. I was just not happy about it. At that point I started doing home remedies which of course didn’t work as the condition was actually much worse. Medication was the last resort and it was very difficult to survive that month. I was completely hopeless that it would ever be cured.
Whatever your own line is, set it before you get sick. A fever that won’t break, difficulty swallowing or breathing and symptoms that persist for more than about a week all indicate the need to see a doctor.
If you still want to try an herb
Ask your doctor or pharmacist first (especially if you’re on any blood thinners, diabetes or blood pressure meds or are pregnant). Buy products that name the Latin species, the plant part and some form of batch or test information. Stop straight away if you get any rash, a racing heart or stomach upset.
My verdict
So here is where I land.
So let’s talk about my chronic sore throat which affects my tonsils every year in the same month. I do some of my own research with the aid of AI/artificial intelligence and alter my routine accordingly. I now brush my teeth after every meal (both at night and in the morning) which is good oral hygiene. I then start eating soft food around the month of November when my chronic tonsillitis begins to kick in. I cut out the junk food that I used to eat in such abundance. I now take in good amounts of fibre and protein from healthy food and I also avoid the late night parties as a result of looking after my throat.
I also started on some of the normal home remedies. I make my own herbal medicine at home using wild honey and do a salt water gargle at night during the months of November, October and December when I have my chronic tonsillitis. Three years have now passed and my throat is absolutely normal. I have not had a single episode of sore throat in any of those months and I have in fact beaten the problem. I’m very proud of that and I’m sharing it with everyone.
The home remedies combined with cutting out the junk food and the outside fried food has been a lot better than going to hospital and having the operation and the associated cost. Simply changing your daily routine can make a huge difference in overcoming these normal seasonal banner symptoms.
The order is important: simple home care first, see a doctor if the symptoms are persisting or getting worse and any herb only after it’s been checked against your medications.
