Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is a form of medicine based around the use of plants and their extracts. The concoctions used in herbal medicine have been shared from generation to generation. As a result, the use of herbal medicine in order to cure ailments is a longstanding one that has been used around the world. Amazingly, herbal medicine concoctions have been found among cave paintings dating as far back as 13,000 to 25,000 BC.

Actually, the oldest form of healthcare known to mankind is herbal medicine. Before pharmacies ever existed, people used plants to cure and treat illnesses and injuries. Plants were one of the most important things to man millions of years ago. They helped feed him, shelter him, clothe him and provided healthcare. It is thought that people learned which plants were poisonous based on how the animals around them acted after eating the plant. Even today, according to the World Health Organization estimates, around eighty percent of the world's population, a whopping four billion people, uses herbal medicine for some form of their healthcare needs.

The reason plant chemicals have an effect on us is partly, because all living things are composed of families of related organic compounds. Proteins, enzymes, vitamins, sugars and poisons from plants are bound to have some effect. Plant chemical, when applied to humans, mimics its normal reaction inside the parent plant. Take antibiotics, in plants they are specifically evolved to ward off bacteria and fungi, and they do exactly the same in animals. Plant chemicals that inhibit parasites and tumours in plants have been found to have the same effect on humans.

Currently, there are three types of herbal medicine commonly practiced in the United States. These practices are Ayurvedic, which is based out of India, Chinese herbology and Western herbalism based on ancient Greek and Roman practices. All three of these types of herbal medicine are steeped in ancient tradition have are practiced by millions of people. Ayurvedic is still commonly used in India and the President of India has is own personal physicians that practice this form of medicine while Chinese medicine is also still practiced by many of the country’s doctors.

Many different alternative therapies such as acupuncture, oriental and homeopathy also have some sort of herbal component to them. Pharmaceutical companies use herbal components in some of their products as well. As an example, aspirin contains white willow bark. Therefore, plants actually pay a large part in medicine, and they are sometimes essential. When there is destruction to the rainforest areas, we may never know if we have lost a plant that was a cure for a disease.

People are becoming more interested in herbs as medicines, because they feel these are safer alternatives to a lot of the pharmaceutical drugs which have so many side effects. The truth is, though, plants are powerful medicines and need to be respected as such. Before taking any herbal medicine, it is important to check with your doctor or herbalist; because some herbs can interfere with medicines you may currently be taking. Also, not all plants medicines may be right for your particular condition.

In order to use an herbal remedy, the practitioner can follow a few different methods. One popular way to ingest herbal remedies is soaking the herb in hot water in order to drink it as a tea. Herbs can also be mixed into food or swallowed as a capsule. In some cases, the essential oils may be removed from the plant in order to use it for aromatherapy.

The use of herbal medicine has been in practice since ancient times. Since these remedies are still proving themselves to be effective, they will likely still be in use for thousands of years longer.

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