Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Considering all the posts on herbal teas, I thought I would send a link to this article that I came across while doing a search for comfrey tea. I found this article actually quite interesting. Especially about comfrey teas' toxicity. I would love to hear anyone else's opinion. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON00007.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 On another list there was the Great Comfrey Debate for several weeks. I think in lab rats where they are OD'ed on comfrey, they might develop cancer. After weighing the posts on there, I still grow and use it. I do not eat comfrey salad every night or drink gallons of comfrey tea, but it is a very useful herb for me. Gayla Roberts Always Enough Ranch Acampo, California goatclearing http://coloredboers.home.att.net/always.html - Laura t Sarbach Considering all the posts on herbal teas, I thought I would send a link to this article that I came across while doing a search for comfrey tea. I found this article actually quite interesting. Especially about comfrey teas' toxicity. I would love to hear anyone else's opinion. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON00007.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 , Laura t Sarbach <macbach@j...> wrote: > Considering all the posts on herbal teas, I thought I would > send a link to this article that I came across while doing a search > for comfrey tea. > I found this article actually quite interesting. Especially about > comfrey teas' toxicity. I would love to hear anyone else's opinion. > > http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON00007.html debunked years ago. Of course, too much water can kill you, or kava extract made by unscrupulous greedy businessmen (which got it banned in Europe.) Hint: don't drink 10 cups a day of anything, or pop lots of capsules. Here's the info on comfrey: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/faqs/medi-2-15-comfrey.html http://anyamccoy.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Obviously, any idiot can overdose on anything. I assumed that comfrey was taken off the market because it was unsafe not because 1 person decided to go overboard. (And in no way am I saying that I believe what the FDA says is true!) Even the article you have listed here suggests other herbs be taken instead of comfrey (calendula/plantago). So, what has been debunked? > debunked years ago. Of course, too much water can kill you, or kava > extract made by unscrupulous greedy businessmen (which got it > banned > in Europe.) Hint: don't drink 10 cups a day of anything, or pop > lots > of capsules. > > Here's the info on comfrey: > > http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/faqs/medi-2-15-comfrey.html > > Anya > http://anyamccoy.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Hi Gayla, As far a comfrey goes, I was trying to look up info so that I may use it safely for my son who severely broke his arm. I did have concerns regarding its safety, but have come to the conclusion that used responsibly it would be of benefit to him. The article actually annoyed me in the sense that it seemed that the writer used the instance of one person making a dumb mistake as a good reason for the herb to be considered toxic. The whole article bothered me because the FDA is so quick to take away what nature has given us but push onto us dangerous synthetic drugs. Thanks for your comment! Laura On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 19:42:15 -0800 " Gayla Roberts " <goatclearing writes: > > > On another list there was the Great Comfrey Debate for several > weeks. I think in lab rats where they are OD'ed on comfrey, they > might develop cancer. After weighing the posts on there, I still > grow and use it. I do not eat comfrey salad every night or drink > gallons of comfrey tea, but it is a very useful herb for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 I firmly believe in educating people and then letting them make their own decisions in matters in the private sphere. Your body is the ultimate private sphere. Some people will make dumb decisions. Some people will even die as a result of dumb decisions. So be it. Every year some women get killed for choosing the wrong man. Are we going to outlaw men who have an ill-controlled temper and/or lock up women who keep choosing such men? And how about peanuts? Bees? Extreme sports? They all kill some people. Life is risky. Live with it. The search for total safety inevitably ends in total tyranny. However!! I demand greater scrutiny and a greater safety margin in the public domain, like air and water. Our governments seem to have the exact reverse priorities. At the same time that governments are overly regulating what we can do to our own body the teeth are being taken out of environmental control. In Canada people died when the water supply of a small town got polluted with a dangerous strain of E coli. Corporations keep getting the benefit of the doubt and can go on polluting the commons. People have gotten used to the idea that clean water is something you have to BUY. Can air be far behind? As for the rats. It appears that rats, if experimented upon, will develop cancer. Poor things. I wonder whose lab rats we are? Ien in the Kootenays ************************************ " The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home " ~ James Madison, 4th president of the USA Meet my freedom loving face: http://greatestnetworker.com/is/ien ************************************ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 , Laura t Sarbach <macbach@j...> wrote: > Hi Gayla, > As far a comfrey goes, I was trying to look up info so that I > may use it safely for my son who severely broke his arm. I did > have concerns regarding its safety, but have come to the conclusion > that used responsibly it would be of benefit to him. > The article actually annoyed me in the sense that it seemed that the > writer used the instance of one person making a dumb mistake as > a good reason for the herb to be considered toxic. Hi Laura: I'll reply here to your recent post to me, since you seem to have answered what you asked of me here, in your reply. You asked about the hysteria now being debunked. Henriette's site, and others, show that massive amounts of comfrey, yes, may harm, but used responsibly, it is wonderful, thus they debunked the FDA hysteria. Comfrey is banned in Canada, Australia, and certain parts of Europe, you know, all from this over-reaction? http://www.google.com/search?hl=en & q=comfrey+banned+europe & btnG=Google+Search Just make sure that in treating your son you use: Leaf of S. officinale, from a northern climate, for a limited period of time. You can use it as a poultice, tea, tincture, etc. Wonderful her, and the best one in this instance. You mentioned calendula nd plantain in your earlier post to me, but they have minimal properties compared to comfrey in healing bones. The whole > article bothered me because the FDA is so quick to take away what > nature has given us but push onto us dangerous synthetic drugs. Hey, you mean you mind that ephedra, abused by some foolish people, then banned, isn't worse than Vioxx?! LOL. The FDA stinks worse than week-old fish. http://anyamccoy.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Nothing works for everyone - look at penicillin. It works great for many but for some it can be deadly. Same with any herb or drug. Paula ........in Michigan Coming soon Farm Fresh Soaps & Candles I firmly believe in educating people and then letting them make their own decisions in matters in the private sphere. Your body is the ultimate private sphere. Some people will make dumb decisions. Some people will even die as a result of dumb decisions. So be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 So I don't have to go look it up...could someone list all the uses/ benefits of comfrey? Thanks, Juliet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Anya - Can you tell me why it is important for the Comfrey to be from a northern climate? Thanks - Ivy - " rastapoodle " <mccoy.... > Just make sure that in treating your son you use: > Leaf of S. officinale, from a northern climate, ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 , " Ivy Fasko " <isf@c...> wrote: > > Anya - > > Can you tell me why it is important for the Comfrey to be from a northern > climate? > I was stumped when I first heard this. It seems the comfrey needs the chilling to reduce the amount of the dreaded pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), the stuff that can cause liver damage. It is interesting to note that here in Miami, comfrey grows as a neat little plant that doesn't reseed or run rampant in the garden. It is known for its invasive nature in colder climates. Very strange. I will use the leaf in a pinch, crushed in a poultice, but I buy my comfrey from northern growers. Anya, comfrey lover from 30 years back http://anyamccoy.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Paula wrote: Nothing works for everyone - look at penicillin. It works great for many but for some it can be deadly. Same with any herb or drug. Paula ........in Michigan Coming soon Farm Fresh Soaps & Candles Exactly! Which is why I am against governments making across-the board rules. I have a friend with asthma who relied on Ma Huang aka Ephedra. Now it has been removed just because some nitwit kids used it improperly as an upper or as a slimming agent. Grrrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.