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If illness, in many cases, is the result of psychosomatic causes–and more specifically mental processes causing physical symptoms of disease–perhaps many holistic treatments address this problem more aptly than a strong symptom-suppressing pharmaceutical. Why does cancer resurface in so many people after having been eradicated? I would posit a misguided treatment, one that did not fix the “root” cause, at least in some of the instances where this occurs.

Of course, when talking as I have above, one must bring the placebo effect into the conversation. Fair enough. The placebo effect is present in all medicine East, West, or otherwise. All of these methods benefit from placebo, there is no contesting this, and if the point is healing, then placebo should be welcome if it works. It has been noted that placebo is more powerful in Eastern healing traditions with patients in the West, while placebo is more present in Western healing traditions with patients in the East. I find this very interesting.

I believe healing matches, or needs to address/match, current historical context. Our culture is sick in different ways than it was 300 years ago, and in some cases even 30 years ago. Advertising, information, technology, expectations, and the general speed of life, are all very different, which may give rise to different appearing illnesses. I feel Western medicine and science are beginning to–however slowly–catch on to emotion/mind causing illness in body and even vice versa.

My point here is basically one of direction. Science and Western medicine are wonderful in many ways; however, I think they are in need of redirection. Maybe after the Western worldview catches up with modern physics (e.g., energy/matter being interchangeable, etc.)–which will be a while, just look at how long it took the people of the world to stomach the earth not being the center of the universe–our treatments will begin to heal root causes instead of masking the symptoms they produce.

I apologize for the long-winded post, but I had to get this out. Thank you.

Chris

To some extent, the proponents of each one essentially claims some kind of limited panacea. Conversely, “western” treatments usually focus on a single issue. At least until the patent is about to expire and then a rapid reformulation for another indication can reinvigorate the market for a particular product.

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Despite the fact that cuscuta is unpopular with farmers, it has a long history of folk use. In Western herbalism, cuscuta was traditionally used to treat liver, spleen, and gallbladder disorders such as jaundice ; and to support liver function. It is still used, although rarely, in that way by modern herbalists. It is also a mild laxative. Other traditional Western claims for cuscuta are that it is a mild diuretic, and that it can be used to treat sciatica and scurvy. Externally, it can be gathered fresh and applied to the skin to treat scrofuladerma. Extracts of the herb have a very bitter taste.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the seeds of cuscuta, called tu si zi, have been used for thousands of years. In the Chinese understanding of health, yin aspects inside the person and outside in the environment must be kept in balance with yang aspects. Ill health occurs when the energies and elements of the body are out of balance or in disharmony with nature. Health is restored by taking herbs and treatments that restore internal and external balance.
According to traditional Chinese healers, cuscuta seeds have a neutral nature and a pungent, sweet taste. They are associated with the liver and kidneys and are used in formulas that help both yin and yang deficiencies, depending on the patient’s condition and the other herbs in the formula. Cuscuta was considered both an aphrodisiac and a longevity herb because it slowed down the loss of fluids from the body.

Contemporary Chinese herbalists use cuscuta in formulas to treat a range of conditions, including:

impotence;premature ejaculation;sperm leakage;frequent urination;ringing in the ears;lower back pain;sore knees;white discharge from the vagina (leucorrhea);dry eyes;blurred vision;tired eyes

Cuscuta is one of nine herbs included in the manufacture of Equiguard, a Chinese herbal medicine recommended for kidney and prostate disorders. Research performed at New York Medical College indicates that the combination of ingredients in Equiguard may well be effective in the treatment of prostate cancer. The preparation inhibited the growth of cancer cells, increased the rate of self-destruction (apoptosis) of cancer cells, and prevented the surviving cells from forming colonies.
Cuscuta is also used in the Indian system of Ayurvedic healing to treat jaundice, muscle pain, coughs, and problems with urination.

Little scientific research has been done in the West on cuscuta. A purgative compound has been isolated from the herb, however, that supports its traditional use as a liver and gallbladder tonic. Other research done at Asian universities indicates that cuscuta seeds contain a complex carbohydrate that stimulates the immune system and has some antioxidant properties as well.

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