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Over the years many people have explored the world of medicine, trying to find new ways to help heal the sick. Natural Health Center, a clinic in Anchorage, doesn’t prescribe the typical over the counter drug. This clinic treats its patients with medicine made from herbs.
“In many cases if you look at the research, herbs actually work better,” said Dr. Adam Grove, a physician at Natural Health Center and practices Naturopathic Medicine. “There is a lot of research being done now on herbs because people are looking for other things.”
Dr. Grove thinks that for some specific illnesses, herbs may work better than over the counter medications.
“Herbs work differently and that's the beauty of it because they’re alive and it's like a dance. Taking two live things and mixing them together and getting the beautiful result,” Dr. Grove said.
He does, however, want to make it clear that he isn’t against prescribed drugs. He actually thinks the two forms of medication can often work well together.
“There's a place for both, and that's what I like because initially we can do that dance between the allopathic world and the naturopathic world,” said Dr. Grove.
Dr. Grove warns that although herbs may be easier to get than a pharmacy prescription, the key is to know if the herb was picked properly and safely. Also, make sure to take into consideration things like pesticide use or the age of the plant.
“It's all very tricky, and that's why we have a dispensary here [Natural Health Center] because we want to make sure when we give an herb to somebody they're getting a good quality herb,” Grove said.
Dr. Grove said he wouldn’t use herbs for procedures like surgery. He hopes that there will be a better appreciation for herbs in the future.
Contact Caslon Hatch