Herbal medicine, also called botanical medicine is herbology in the prevention and cure of physical and mental ailments
Herbal medicine derived from medicinal herbs is being used for centuries
Herbal medicine is the first choice over chemical medicine in many cultures today, and this has being successfully used for thousands of years.
Looking on the origin of various typical medicines you will find the pattern that many medicines do derive from herb plants or the mother medicine.
Also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbalism, herbology, and phytotherapy, it is a folk medicine or traditional medicine practice, solely based on the use of plants and plants extract for medicinal purposes.
According to Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, in the United Kingdom, the training of medical herbalists is done by state funded Universities. For example, Bachelor of Science degrees in herbal medicine are offered at Universities such as University of East London, Middlesex University, University of Central Lancashire, University of Westminster, University of Lincoln and Napier University in Edinburgh at the present.
The reason for this is that more and more people are turning to natural or herbal sources of medication for cleansing, tonic, nutrition, cure and prevention of diseases, aromatherapy, herbal therapy, and healing, among many other reasons.
It is important to know the advantages and disadvantages of herbal medicine
However, before making a final decision towards alternative healing, it would be best to know the advantages and disadvantages of herbal medicines to ensure that you are getting your money's worth in addressing your health related concerns.
The oldest known herbal, is a Chinese book written by Emperor Huang Ti in the year 2697 B.C. His teachings known as the Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine, were based living harmoniously with nature. It deals broadly with herbal remedies, acupuncture, diet, and the prevention and cure of physical and mental ailments.
Herbal medicine which can also be alternative herbal medicine is faster, more effective and safer than conventional medicine. There are herbal supplements in markets and stores all over the world as more people seek medicinal remedy for various ailments.
Various uses
It can be used in the form of capsules, herbal teas, tinctures, essential oils, herbal extracts, poultice and compresses, infusion and decoction, salves, syrups, liniment and seasoning which can all be found in herbal preparations.
The American Indians used herbs for food and medicine
By living in close harmony with nature, the American Indians, when going on long trips carried herbs like common plantain for snakebites, sassafrass for fevers and birch bark which was used as a natural splint for setting fractures.They used herbs for food and medicine.
Many herbs were used simultaneously by the Indians and other cultures living thousand of miles away. Yarrow was used in Europe and America as blood cleanser. In China, ephedra was used for bronchitis and coughs.
Doctors like Joe Pye, after whom the joe pye weed is named, showed the pioneers how to harvest and recognize many herbs because there were herbs that were poisonous, so good knowledge of the medicinal herbs was required. Sassafras was viewed as a wonder herb for venereal disease and was imported by Sir Walter Raleigh.
Today this tradition is continuing because the use of medicinal herbs has increased considerably in recent years and has gained high reputation to treat every ailment, including herbs for joint pain.
There are radio shows, television programs, medicinal books, ebooks, numerous websites, herbalists, authors amongst other entities, spreading the word on the benefits of botanical medicine. Herbs for health are widely used and accepted today.
There are rules and guidelines to follow. See herb guide and herbal preparations in this site as well as numerous other herb guides all over the internet.
There are thousands of people, including many herbalists, who now grow their own herbal gardens for easy access as the world recognizes that there are medicinal remedies in herbalism.