Dr. Mehmet Oz Commits Costly Health Mistake To Patients

March 31, 2011 - PRLog -- On March 23, Dr. Mehmet Oz had a segment on his television show called Dr Oz Middle Age Cures. In it, he suggests to people to use lemon balm oil to reduce stress. What they were actually using on the show was lemon balm tincture, not lemon balm oil. Lemon balm oil is not meant to be taken internally. It is used topically to treat viral skin conditions. We now understand why our lemon balm oil orders have gone up.
Lemon balm tincture is used for stress and anxiety, however, one would not use the amount he put in her glass and mouth. He overdosed her right on the show. The normal dosage for most tinctures would be 1 dropper full 3-4 times a day. Some conditions call for a higher dosage, but he gave the audience the idea that you can use dropper fulls of lemon balm tincture willy nilly, and this is not true. Herbal tinctures are potent medicine. You can read more about lemon balm herb here: http://www.cloverleaffarmherbs.com/lemon-balm/ .
Not mentioned on the show are side effects nor interaction with other drugs. Remember that herbal medicine is medicine. Just like prescription drugs, you shouldn’t mix them without consulting someone who understands interactions. One example, if you are taking medication for hypo-thyroid issues, you shouldn’t be using lemon balm, much less ingest it. Know what you are doing before taking any medicine including herbs.
Who is this Terry Trespicio, and why is she giving out that kind of advice?  According to her bio, she does not have a background in herbal medicine. She has a degree in fine arts and creative writing but there is no mention of any training to discuss herbalism or treatments using herbs.http://trespicio.com/About.html.
We are concerned that people setting themselves up as experts throw out advice with no mention that individuals should do their homework before taking herbs as medicine. It is unprofessional to have such a light hearted approach to herbal medicine. It’s irresponsible to play around with herbs in the manner they did on this show.
Educate yourself. Do the research to make sure the herb is for you. Make sure your medical provider has the herbal knowledge to be treating your condition. For more information on herbal remedies visit http://www.cloverleaffarmherbs.com .
Want to learn how to make your own tinctures? Visit http://bit.ly/fxKune and get all you need to make a tincture at home, with proper instructions, and proper dosing information.

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Kathy Lambert, Clinical Herbalist and Herbal Educator.
Kathy has written many articles for newspapers, magazines and online health sites. She is working on her first book on herbal healing.
She continues her training to keep up to date on herbal info.