WebMd Slams Bilberry???

Top 2. Mar 4, 2001 9:23 AM

» Purpleflame - Hi Steve,

I'm not familiar with bilberry, nor with WebMD.
I'll have to check them out!
On the basis of your article contents, and my own experience with most mainstream medical opinions of herbalists, it sounds as if WebMd is joining ranks with herb-bashers in trying to dissuade the public from using beneficial herbs.

-- posted by Purpleflame

Top 3. Mar 7, 2001 3:08 PM

» jerrib - This comes as no surprise to me

MD's and naturopaths are still a long ways away in agreeing on medical treatment with herbs, although the gap is widening.

As for studies, as a former Management
Analyst with the State of Washington, I know how easy it is to use numbers to get what effect you want to show. Same here.

I say try it and if it works, keep it; if it doesn't work, trash it!

I like your writing style.

-- posted by jerrib

Top 4. Mar 21, 2001 7:47 AM

» Red - Interesting,..

Steve, interesting article, interesting discussion. I hope you get a response from all parties concerned. The articles do seem to be rather confusing.

I am not familiar with Bilbery, though I do use many herbs. St. John's Wort is another herb that is not endorsed by the medical profession, yet in Europe it is classed as a wonder drug in the treatment of depression.

In my opinion, the medical profession will never endorse any herbal remedy. They would rather prescribe chemical enhanced drugs than allow us to use herbal remedies.

Doctors also do not endorse chiropractic medicine. When I was in an automobile accident in '88, they told me that I would end up in a wheelchair. Not. I went to a great chiropractor and though I still have a lot of pain, I am most certainly still walking and plan to be until I leave this earthly plane. I see a chiropractor whenever I run into problems and take a series of treatments.

Thanks for stopping by my topic. I enjoyed you comments and have left a message for you there.

Have a great day.

-- posted by Red

Top 5. Mar 29, 2001 4:28 PM

» joyfullion - WebMD's Opinion

Steve, hello, it's nice to meet you! smile

I too enjoyed your article. I own my own business which offers many products, amoung them, Bilberry.

I suppose it's possible that WebMD has a point.

But, frankly...

...I just don't see it. smile

Wishing you metta,

J

-- posted by joyfullion

Top 6. Sep 24, 2002 9:55 PM

» damnpetey - Re: Interesting,..

In response to message posted by Red:

There is one thing that totally gets me going. The complete ignorance of the people conducting these studies is always too hard to be believed.

There is a few problems with how these studies were conducted.

These new study "findings" against bilberry
and basically groundless. You cannot
test a small tiny group of subjects with
a chemical isolate or extract of a fruit
and expect a result.

You might as well throw all your capsules,
extracts, vitamins, and man-made concoctions in the trash, because they are totally worthless.

The bilberry fruit in its pure natural form
consists of probably THOUSANDS of chemicals that are intact and delicate. You cannot test any "active ingredient" to see
its effects, because their might not BE any ONE
"active ingredient" In fact theres a million
instances of whole foods containing many
substances that do not act alone, but in a
synergistic fashion where other enzymes and
chemicals are required to produce a biochemical
change inside an organism. So feeding test subjects a pill of isolated bilberry extract where the food is not in its natural state is worthless. God knows what is destroyed in the
"purification or extraction process" as well.

Another problem with these studies is that
they entail 15 or so subjects. HELLO?? Do they expect anyone to take this kind of study seriously? For any study to be even remotely valid, you must test at least 500-1000 people.
There can be so many factors influencing real time uptake of the extract in subjects as well as speed at which those chemicals are digested , etc.

Nature as well as the animals therein present are the product of a WHOLE SYSTEM of nature that has evolved over millions of years. You cannot feed someone a PILL and expect to see a result. It doesnt work that way.

Seeing poor studies like this infuriate me
and I think the persons doing them should be
revoked of any license to think!!!!!!!!

-----------------------------------------------
Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food
-Hippocrates

-- posted by damnpetey

Top 7. Sep 24, 2002 10:11 PM

» damnpetey - Re: Re: WebMD's Opinion

In response to message posted by traderz:

Just common sense here: Usually in nature animals are found to eat the types of foods that are well suited to accomodate their natural selection. Man eats vegetables, small animals, and fish for obvious reasons meat would be bad. We do not have the physical makeup to physically tackle cows and lions and eat them. Nonetheless research is pointing out that humans were adapted to eat small foul, fish, and mostly vegan foods.

Typically the Aves (birds) and small animals are known for very keen vision. Has anyone noticed that most of the types of animals that will eat the Bilberry are particularly animals that are small, and require a very specific diet to accomodate their biological requirements? Has anyone wondered that perhaps it does make some sense that bilberry could be good for vision since many of the animals eating it require a specific diet to meet the needs of their biologicaly systems? It could be coincidence and shooting in the dark. Any opinions are welcome!

"Vaccinium berries are readily eaten by the band-tailed pigeon, wild
turkey, gray catbird, ruffed, spruce, blue, and sharp-tailed grouse,
tanagers, bluebirds, thrushes, quails, and towhees. The
white-footed mouse, gray fox, red fox, raccoon, pika, deer mouse, and
numerous species of chipmunks, ground squirrels, tree squirrels, and
skunks also feed on Vaccinium fruit "

-- posted by damnpetey