Herbology — sources, health benefits at NaturalPedia.com

A practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine or ayurvedic medicine may recommend a herbal treatment for a particular health problem, or to address a more encompassing health concern, such as feelings of depression and general malaise. Chinese herbs are given qualities such as “cooling” (yin) or “stimulating” (yang), that are used for specific deficiencies in a patient.

According to the American Herbalist Guild, most visits to the herbalist start with a consultation regarding your former and present health condition, your dietary or lifestyle practices, or other factors that are associated with your health concern.

Herbal remedies are usually considered safe. However, if you are taking medication, you must remember that there are possible interactions with an herbal remedy that may change the way medication is being handled by the body. If you are unsure as to what herbal treatments and medications don’t mix, ask your pharmacist about herb/drug interactions.

One should also refrain from taking herbs during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. There are exceptions to this rule: for instance, it is considered safe to ingest up to 1,000 milligrams of ginger in capsule or candied forms for morning sickness. Echinacea use for pregnant women who develop colds or flu is also deemed safe.

Herbal remedies that might be safe for adults are not necessarily safe for children. To be guided in your decisions, refer to “Healthy Child, Whole Child” by Drs. Russell Greenfield and Stuart Ditchek.

Herbal medicine, as a practice, is not a licensed profession in the United States. To get immersed and acquainted with the practice as a whole, check out the American Botanical Council, the Herb Research Foundation, and HerbMed. Herbal medicine is deemed most effective when used as a part of a program that promotes dietary modification, proper exercise, stress reduction, and channeling mental resources toward healing.

Because the market is not well-regulated, celebrity doctor Andrew Weil tells people to avoid buying whole dried herbs from jars in stores as dried plants deteriorate upon exposure to air, causing them to immediately lose their desirable qualities. He also advises people to avoid purchasing Chinese herbal products that do not list their ingredients in their packaging, as some herbs in China are addled with toxic metals.

Health benefits of herbology

Medicinal plants have a wide array of chemical compounds that contribute to giving people a host of health benefits.

Comfrey, which is a perennial herb that has been harvested and used in folk medicine for over 2,000 years and has clusters of purple, blue, and white flowers, is said to aid in treating bedsores, diabetic ulcers, spider bites, and staph injections that have been obtained while lounging around tropical beaches.

Passionflower is usually taken for feelings of relaxation. Valerian and kava, on the other hand, can be an instant natural sleeping pill.

Tea tree oil can be applied topically to assuage fungal infections such as athlete’s foot and infections of the toenails and fingernails.

Ginseng is taken to alleviate feelings of weakness and exhaustion.

White willow is taken to relieve inflammations.

Body systems supported by herbology

Herbal plants are good for the digestive system. Peppermint tea, which comes from the peppermint plant, can be used to treat indigestion, nausea, and other digestive issues, and intestinal ailments such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Herbal plants are good for the nervous system. Turmeric is a good aid to combat mental-deterioration illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease. It is also good for preventing cancer and inflammation.

Where to learn more

• Parsley: An Herbal Multi-Vitamin
• Ulcer Relief With Cabbage And Natural Herbs
• Hemp Is Natures Power Food
• Dragon Herbs, He Shou Wu, Eucommia and other treasures of Chinese herbology
• Curcumin: the Herb that Alleviates Pain Better than Drugs

Summary

Herbal plants are good for the digestive and nervous systems.

Herbal medicine, as a practice, is not a licensed profession in the United States.

One should refrain from taking herbs during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester.

Sources include:

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

DrWeil.com