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Herbal Medicine: An Ounce Of Prevention
Priya Shah
In recent years the issue of Alternative Healing has taken
the medical world by storm.
A 2004 government survey concluded that more than one third
of adults use some form of alternative medicine and
healing. Many of those using alternative therapies do not
even discuss them with their traditional healthcare
practitioners.
One facet of this burgeoning interest is Herbal Medicine.
While it may seem "trendy" to some, Herbal Medicine has
been around for thousands of years.
In fact, many of the familiar pharmaceutical medications we
use today were originally created from "natural"
ingredients. Drugs like opium (from poppies), aspirin
(from willow bark), digitalis (from foxglove) and quinine
(from the cinchona tree.)
What is Herbal Medicine?
Herbal Medicine is the use of botanicals (plants) either
singularly or in combination to prevent and treat certain
ailments and illnesses.
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, Ayurveda which comes from
India, and 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.
In the 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.
Ayurveda, loosely translated to "knowledge of life," is the
ancient Indian system of medicine. 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
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.
Nothing in the makeup of a plant tells us in what way it
would be used the best. There are over a half million known
herbs that could be used as possible remedies.
Chinese Herbalist practitioners have over 2,000 herbs that
are readily available in their pharmacies.
Herbal remedies around the globe very in strength from the
very mild and gentle remedies that are use even as food, to
those that are potential poisons when taken at the wrong
dose.
Folk use of herbal remedies is familiar to all of us in
some form or another. This is because herbal remedies are
learned by being passed down from generation to generation.
Unfortunately this hearsay is what fuels the ire of the
scientific community and their disdain.
But by dismissing generations of experience and
observation, it is really the traditional scientific
community which is losing out on this wisdom.
In recent times, attitudes toward traditional and herbal
remedies have changed for the better. Many medical schools
now offer studies in complementary medicine alongside
traditional medical courses.
It’s only a matter of time before herbal medicine becomes
part of a more holistic practice of healthcare.
Copyright © 2005 Priya Shah
About the author: Priya Shah is the editor of The
Glutathione Report http://www.glutathione-report.com
and Health Naturale http://www.health-naturale.com
Get a comprehensive report on 47 Easy Herbal Remedies
http://www.health-naturale.com/47herbalremedies
This article may be reprinted as long as the resource box
is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.
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