For thousands of years, herbs have been the primary source of medicine and healing. Almost every culture has a long list of natural medicines they have traditionally used to treat various ailments and conditions, based upon which ones were available in their region.
Natural medicine has a lot of advantages over other forms, such as a much more complete and balanced nutritional treatment, as opposed to most pharmaceutical drugs, which have one main active ingredient. Also, many of the strong, and sometimes dangerous, side-effects of prescription drugs can be avoided.
However, there can sometimes be certain negative effects when taking some natural medicines while dealing with specific health conditions, and we will do our best to warn you along the way about these combinations to avoid.
Also, not every condition can be treated effectively with natural medicine, especially life-threatening or emergency situations. In these instances, it is still very important that you seek professional medical care as soon as possible.
Even today, the majority of prescription drugs (about 75%) are still derived from plants; they have simply found processes which will chemically isolate the primary active ingredient in the plant, and then concentrate it to a much higher potency than you would get by simply taking the plants in their natural form.
The truth is, quite often a combination of both forms of treatment are best, but it is important for you to let your healthcare professional know about any natural medicines you may be taking, as they can sometimes interact with the drugs to either make them less effective, or even cause undesirable side-effects.
Many doctors have not been open to the use of natural remedies in the past, but today more and more of them are seeing the wisdom of looking at the natural healing characteristics of many of the natural remedies available today for treating things like high blood pressure and a host of other ailments. We also have the advantage today of having access to herbs from all over the world, and from many different cultures, so we can benefit from getting the best of the best!
In Japan, for instance, where doctors have access to every aspect of modern medicine, four out of five doctors prescribe herbs for at least some of their patients. Also, three out of five doctors in Japan consider their use to be their first choice as the primary treatment for at least some diseases. One of the results of this healthcare system which uses a combination of modern medicine and ancient healing techniques is that Japan enjoys the world's highest longevity statistics for both men and women. Results like that are hard to argue with!
Treating specific health conditions with the use of natural remedies often does not bring results as quickly as the use of prescription medicine. Also, some experimenting may be required; if one remedy doesn't bring the desired results, then try a different one.
Herbal remedies come in numerous different forms, including extracts, capsules, tablets, lozenges, tinctures, granules, and teas. They can also be found in lotions, creams, or other forms which allows them to be applied topically to the skin.
We will be addressing articles on individual herbs in which we will provide general information, such as where they are found, forms they are available in, traditional uses for each one, as well as any cautions you should be aware of, such as safety during pregnancy, etc. They will be listed alphabetically along the right side of this page as we get them completed; simply click on the link for each one to access that page.
For a more general overview of remedies which are beneficial to specific organs or parts of the body simply click here to view a list of herbs which have traditionally been used to boost or treat specific body functions.
We hope that you will find this information to be helpful, and we wish you the best as you pursue a healthier, happier lifestyle!
This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any specific condition, nor is it intended to replace the advice of your healthcare professional.
Sources
Balch, Phyllis A., CNC. "Prescription for Nutritional Healing". Garden City, NY.: Avery Publishing Group, 2006
Ritchason, Jack, ND. "The Little Herb Encyclopedia". Pleasant Grove, UT.: Woodland Health Books, 1995
Encyclopedia.com