stuff you buy in herbal shops s/d

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Ginseng, guarana, guava, st john's wort, are any of these worth it or just a waste of money?

I've been taking guarana recently and although I feel a minor boost in well-being I don't know if it's psychosomatic or not. Also I've found it's increased my appetite somewhat.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 5 January 2004 13:28 (twenty-one years ago)

You kannt buy 'erb in 'erb shap...

― lee perry (mark grout), Monday, 5 January 2004 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

it really depends on why you're taking the herbs. some have more use than others, and some are better quality than others. i have taken guarana in the past and received the impression that this particular herb is a bit gimmicky - or is sold as a gimmick, anyway, it may have powers of which i'm unaware.

you could do worse than get yourself a book on herbs if you're going to do this properly.

i've got this one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1585420336/qid=1073313169/sr=1-21/ref=sr_1_2_21/202-2172914-4631800

and its pretty good. it covers a variety of eastern and western approaches and is an intelligent introduction to the subject. it also tells you of several easily available herbs with powerful properties (dandelion..who'd have thought it??). its an american book, if you're in the uk, a uk alternative would be even better..

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Monday, 5 January 2004 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Guarana is a c*nts trick as anyone who has ever wasted 40odd pence on a BOOST BAR with guarana extract should be able to tell you. I'd rather knaw on crocodile skin.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 5 January 2004 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Knaw!!

*orcs cheer*

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 5 January 2004 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i once at a whole packet of that buzzy gum stuff

buzz, my arse.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Monday, 5 January 2004 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)

i highly recommend liquid ginseng. It makes you aware like a ninja. Obviously you can't just rely on one lickle 'erb to make your life right, you need to switch up yr lifestyle re. sleeping patterns, diet, excercise etc to fully appreciate the effects. But ginseng is definitely the way forward fuck guarana.

― peckham rye, Monday, 5 January 2004 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I dunno what's in Rescue Remedy actually but ISTR that it was rather Nice.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 5 January 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

neither valerian not st john's wort did anything for me. i have not tried rescue remedy but i know one person who swears by it.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 02:51 (twenty-one years ago)

St Johns wort seemed to take a weeny edge off my anxiety at one stage but maybe that was coincidence. Valerian/cammomile on the other hand, now that shit works. I have cammomile tea before bed and sleep like a baby, and if I take valerian during extreme anxiety/anger attacks it really calms me down.

I must also give a shout-out for milk thistle. This little gem makes yer liver work and process toxins better. For boozers like me its a godsend. I'm not kidding - the vague pains in my side go away and I dont get hangovers. Only real time Ive seen a 'erbal remedy work.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 02:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I also agree it probably only works if you really use the right thing for the right purpose. So valerian works for my anxiety, but it may not work as say, a sedative for sleep if you're a real insomniac. Herbs arent like drugs, they dont have a WHAM effect.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 02:59 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm surprised that you say that about valerian. i was so pissed off that it wasn't working that i swallowed about 15 of the things and it still did nothing. i guess i was expecting more of a valium-type result and was of course utterly disappointed

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 03:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh god no Ive never found a herbal sedative work like a valium. If they did, they'd probably get banned :)

Mind you kava can have a nice stoner effect if you can get the raw stuff and take enough of it.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 03:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I used to get this great powdered speed stuff from an 'apothecary' - fill up a gel capsule with it and go 90mph for a few hours.

But I never asked what it was - I assume ma huang/ephedra.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 03:09 (twenty-one years ago)

ma huang?!

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 03:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Isn't that what ephedra's other name is?

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 03:12 (twenty-one years ago)

i just like the sound of it

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 03:28 (twenty-one years ago)

dirty so and so ;)

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 03:48 (twenty-one years ago)

valerian takes a while to build up in your system, in the same way that most herbs do. its only really effective long-term and isn't going to change your life like the pills can. on the up-side there aren't horrible side effects and the withdrawal symptoms don't make you feel like you've been repeatedly hit with a hammer. so that's nice, then.

i think they've banned kava in the uk. where are you getting ephedra from? i've never seen it on sale here.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 11:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Waste, Sarah? The guarana Boost is a bittersweet dollop of heaven!

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 12:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Fully second what Trayce said about Milk Thistle. It's the best thing ever for preventing hangovers, saved my new year's day. It works like a charm.

― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

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