Herbal medicine is a practice that is as old as mankind, and certainly older than agriculture or writing; every human culture on every continent of the Earth has practiced herbal medicine of one form or another. Perhaps best described as “medicinal botany”, herbal medicine involves taking plants, ingesting them, and seeing if some of the elements in the plant have a palliative effect on the symptoms of the ailment.

Herbal remedies have formed the basis of traditional medicine for millennia, and have formed the root of modern pharmacology. While science from roughly the 1880′s onwards has striven to isolate the active compounds found in medicinal herbs, the list is ever growing

Among the healing agents isolated from herbal remedies are salicylic acid (aspirin), derived from white willow bark, the vincristine series of anticancer agents, derived from periwinkle, several stimulants (such as ephedra and cocaine) and several analgesics and paralytics (such as morphine, a tincture of the opium poppy).

As medical science has delved into molecular biology, and the ways these compounds work has been explored, validation for a number of types of herbal remedies have been found, including phytochemicals used as anti-oxidants, and the benefits of various vitamins for the body, and the use of Echinacea to boost white blood cell counts for fighting off disease.

History of Herbal Medicine

Quite possibly the earliest form of herbal medicine was marshmallow root, which is a common grass chewed for settling an upset stomach, and has been eaten for (presumably) that reason by our closest evolutionary cousins, chimpanzees and bonobos. Likewise, hyacinth (a diuretic) causes the tissues to give up excess water, is rich in tannins and alkaloids, which have a bitter, or pungent taste.

As tribal human societies grew, a small body of knowledge over what plants were beneficial for what ailments grew, until the role of a tribal herb lore specialist became known; often times, in hunter-gatherer societies, this herbalist carries a lot of weight in the day to day running of the tribe.

As human societies shifted to an agronomical view of the world, the cultivation of plants for medicine was an important role in this; eventually, herbal lore and herbal remedies became codified, first with the Egyptians, then with the Greeks in the Western tradition, and the knowledge base was slowly accumulated upon by the Romans. It’s from the Greeks in particular that the foundation of modern medicine – of not just prescribing a treatment, but recording what the treatment was, and what its impact was, got started.

In India, the herbalist tradition was Ayurvedic, focusing on the use of metals, herbs and parts of animals generally considered inedible, prepared in solution. These herbs and other compounds are used in varying proportions to remedy specific ills, and may be applied internally as pills or infusions, topically as ointments, inhaled as smoke, or pressed to the body as powders.

In the Americas, without a written tradition to work from, most herbalism is carried by oral traditions from various tribes; this has proven invaluable when looking for herbal remedies in the rain forests and Andean uplands. Much of the American herbal tradition is tied to shamanism and spiritualism.

In China, herbalism and herbal remedies were used as an adjunct to acupuncture, and the medical morphology in use is of balancing qui or chi, the life force energies, which have yin and yang elements; in Chinese herbalism, the aim is to bring the systems of the body, treating it as an electrical system, back into balance, which is a tactic commonly expressed in modern, or syncretic herbalism.

Herbal Medicine Today

Modern herbal medicine takes a syncretic approach, trying to cross reference the benefits of various herbs and treatments from different traditions, and find the best combination of herbal remedies. It’s estimated that upwards of three quarters of the people on the planet use herbal medicine as part of their primary health care regimen. Furthermore, it’s estimated that nearly three quarters of all naturally derived medicines are used in ways conforming to their herbal component’s or antecedents traditional use, and somewhere close to one third of all medical research begins with botanical research of samples collected from rain forests and other biomes.

Most traditional herbs are aromatics – the compounds we use to treat illness are an effect of plants conducting chemical warfare on each other and to fend off herbivores. The same compounds that make many herbs bitter or smell strongly are the ones used in herbal medicine and clinical trials.

While there are countless claims that herbal remedies have “no side effect”, this is not the case; it’s more than the side effects cannot be attributed to one compound in the herbal repertoire, and sometimes this leads to dangers – for example, cochinea was used to treat gout (rheumatoid arthritis, and a number of related symptoms), but also has severe side effects on the function of the kidneys and liver, as it’s a slow, cumulative toxin. The primary difference in side effects between herbal remedies and those listed in the Physician’s Desk Reference is that the Physician’s Desk Reference has double blind studies listing what dosages cause which side effects, while many herbal remedies lack this benchmark. That being said, most traditional therapeutic doses of herbal remedies are small enough to avoid the worst side effects. (Whether some herbs have their effect from the placebo effect is also open to dispute.)

While herbal remedies can be beneficial, do understand that they are not an either-or proposition with modern medicine, though there is a strong establishment precedent for treating them that way – up until the early part of this century, most of the remedies prescribed by doctors were herbal and natural remedies. Do consult with your health care provider about possible interactions between herbal remedies and prescription drugs.

For more information on home herbal remedies, visit http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com

When did this herbal products phenomenon start? One retort is that it all started as soon as the media began to report commonly on exactly how vital it is to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Knowledge of the benefits of herbal medicines and regular tonics goes back to our ancestors thousands of years in the past. All the approach back to 2800 B.C., scientists and storytellers possess reported on humans experiencing the amazing healing and healthiness benefits of normal herbal remedies. And at this moment it is your chance!

In fact, herbal remedy has been a big piece of human history for the last 5,000 years according to archaeology and in print records. All the means up to now, people possess used herbal remedy and treatments to support in a expansive array of ailments to get better their healthiness and well being.

When Herbal Supplements And Herbal Medicine are not recommended

Many herbs possess a long history of beneficial use and practically guaranteed healthiness benefits. An herb, or botanical, is whichever a vegetal or piece of a herbal (like the stem only) that is used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic abilities. Although they are found in normal, herbal products are not guaranteed to be safe or short of negative side effects. While they might come from plants, several plants (like sure mushrooms) are treacherous and can be damaging or poisonous to your well-being, as an alternative of restoring it.

Unlike prescription drugs, herbal products are not clinically tested and proven to job for a few specific ailment before they are marketed or sold to customers in healthiness nutriment stores like GNC (General Nutrition Center).

Also, the active ingredients in a lot of herbal supplements and treatments wait unknown. Some supplements own been found a few to contain metals, prescription drugs mixed in short of a few mention on the tag, microorganisms or another substances.

Since most herbal products are not tested and certified by means of the FDA or another well-being authority, they may possibly in concrete fact source well-being problems or complications. All of this is extremely rare by method of most companies accomplish their own testing, and only use the beneficial types of herbs in their herbal products. Still, it could not be smart to attempt herbal products, at least afore talking approximately it with your medical practitioner, if you possess medical problems

If you are pregnant or nursing, at that moment you ought to take out of the ordinary care approximately using herbal products, by means of well by means of if you are approximately to own surgery. Some herbal products such by means of for weight loss or skin care are much less expensive than surgical procedures like liposuction or hiring a dermatologist, respectively. This is one another pretext for the massive popularity of herbal treatments. So to always be on the sage side of things, make certain you always check with your healthcare provider before trying several herbal products you own a concern about.

It is besides a fine idea to talk to your specialist afore using an herbal item if you are at the moment taking a few medications for a healthiness problem. Often, an herbal supplement willpower not interfere with a prescription medication or even an over-the-counter article but then it is always finest to check with your medical practitioner first. Some active ingredients in herbal medicines are acknowledged to interact with medications in ways that may well be able to origin risks to your health.

Some benefits from herbal treatments and alternatives available on the marketplace comprise nonetheless are not restricted to:

1. Cost-effectiveness: Prescription drugs price much extra cash than herbal medicines.

2. Lower Side Effects: Herbal medicines are in general a far-off healthier resolution than prescription drugs due to potential harmful side effects caused by approach of unpredicted body chemistry interactions. However as per mentioned above, its essential to recollect that just since the expression usual is included herbal medicines does not guarantee safety.

However, herbal medicines appear to possess various advantages over traditional drugs, with a lower occurrence of side effects.

3. Effectiveness: Poor results with traditional drugs usually makes people search for alternative remedies. Keep in intellect, on the another hand, the potential of herbal medicines is dissimilar for everybody.

Genetics variation from individual to individual, which affects exactly how the ingredients labor over time. Also a reason in the potency of an herb is the activity and timing of harvest, by means of well by technique of exposure to air and light

Ultimately, herbal drug and herbal treatments own both frail and well-built points. Keep in brains that herbal medicines are not a guaranteed and ending key to several healthiness problem, nevertheless as a substitute are all in all effective at healing a well-being problem by means of well by means of being a wallet friendly solution.

Jake Cullen, Herbalist

Herbal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare and constitutes a key role in the development of modern medicine as we know it today. Back when technology was still unheard of, primitive men utilised the vast flora around them to the fullest extent, observing both plant and animal life and their components, eventually giving birth to herbal medicine. In a study by the World Health Organization on herbal medicine use, about 80% of the world’s populace still rely on herbal medicine to cure certain ailments and about 74% of the drugs we use today contain at least one botanical element. For instance, Chinese Herbal Medicine’s use of ephedrine to cure respiratory conditions still exists in the present time. Ephedrine remains an active ingredient in most of the commercial drugs that are being prescribed to relieve asthma symptoms.

Herbal medicine is defined by three schools of thought: Ayurvedic Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Herbalism and Western Herbal Medicine. While both Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine have moved on to advanced forms, western herbal medicine remains a part of folk treatments. Herbal medicine is, first and foremost, holistic. It aims to address not just a particular symptom, but also to help the whole body rejuventate strengthen itself. And while there is no scientific evidence that all herbal medicines claiming to have healing powers are actually effective, the number the herbal medicines that have been placed under clinical testing have proved their worth. The list of known kinds includes echinacea, which is used to temper colds, St John’s wort, used to treat mild depression (without using Prozac), and hawthorne berries, which help in the recovery process from mild heart failures.

Is herbal medicine a direct substitute to modern medication? It depends. While herbal medicines are extracted naturally from plants, not all are safe to use; particularly if they are taken with other types of treatments that may not be complementary. Also, herbal medicine is often used only for mild ailments. If the symptoms are more serious, it is best to consult a trained practitioner of herbal medicine who can tell you which ones are appropriate and recommend dosage levels and frequency. Presently, most of the recommended herbal medicines fall outside of standard drug regulations, thus, not all of their claims to fame are guaranteed and true. And even as common sense tells us that herbal medicine has been around for thousand of years, giving an impression that it is quite an authority, it is not recommended to self-diagnose.

Always keep in mind that herbal medicines are still medicines and, therefore, share the likelihood of having side effects as regular commercial drugs. Some of us have this misconception that because herbal medicines are natural, they are 100% safe. This is not true all the time. The best defense against the possible side effects herbal medicines might give is to educate ourselves with the basics on the herbal medicine in question and to use it with caution.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about herbal medicines, please go to: http://herbal.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

People native to different geographical locations have long used plants and
plant extracts to cure specific maladies.  Sometimes referred to as “folk”
medicine, it is generally recognized that there are three schools of research one
can follow with regard to the history of these treatments.

• There is the study of medicines based on Greek, Roman and medieval sources which is largely used by Western schools of thought
• Ayurvedic which comes from India
• the Eastern tradition of Chinese Herbal Medicine.

Rather than separation, these different schools of thought provide more commonality than division.

It stands to reason that most ancient peoples used plants that were native to
their geographical location which provides sound reasoning as to why different
schools of thought exist.

All three of these modalities at one time included both philosophical and
spiritual aspects along with the scientific knowledge that existed within a
specific time frame.  While we are not here to render opinion, one fact
does remain.  The same study that determined one third of Americans used
alternative therapies, the same number surveyed showed a dramatic increase in
positive results to more than 60% when “prayer” was included in the mix.

Ayurvedic loosely translates to “knowledge of life.”  Dating back to more
than 6,000 years ago, Ayurvedic Medicine practiced not just Herbal Medicine,
but some of the earliest surgical procedures as well as inoculation.  Over
the years Ayurvedic Medicine became increasingly more symptomatic as opposed to
treating the root cause of disease which originally was steeped in
strengthening the immune system.

With all our so-called advancements in the medical field, it’s interesting
that physicians are still treating “effect” rather than “cause.”  The old
adage that, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could not be
more true.  This is especially true when it comes to natural remedies.

Most natural remedies are botanical.   Singularly or in combination, the
numbers of herbs available is astounding.  We will barely scratch the surface
over the next few months on this website and we encourage further research and study.