Herbalism
Jonathon Hardcastle
Even before the development of man as a species, herbs have
been used to treat disease. Animals often chew certain plants
to induce vomiting or treat other conditions. Shamans, or
tribal healers, most likely observed this behavior and
developed a base of knowledge about what herbs and plants were
most effective and passed that knowledge down through the
generations. In addition to treating disease and injury, the
body of knowledge included ways to use herbs to improve
nutrition and improve mental health.
Despite its ancient history, herbalism has only recently
reemerged as an accepted practice in the modern western world.
In most European countries, once medical schools began training
doctors in large numbers, the practice of herbalism fell into
disfavor. In fact, many of the witch trials of the Middle Ages
involved women who were actually herbalists. However, herbalism
continued to be practiced uninterrupted in almost all
non-industrialized countries and is still the favored method of
treating disease in many parts of the world.
Studies in the United States on the efficacy of herbal remedies
have been sparse, but in 2004 the National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine began funding larger
studies. In Europe, more studies have been done and herbal
remedies are more widely accepted. For example, St. John's Wort
is an herb that can be used to control mood and was a widely
accepted remedy for depression in Europe long before it gained
favor in the United States.
Although many of our most popular medicines have been developed
from plants, including quinine, digitalis and codeine,
scientists have only recently begun to return to plants as
sources to create new medications. However, the use of plants
to create medications should not be confused with true
herbalism which uses the plants themselves as medication.
Herbal medication can be delivered as a tea, where herbs are
steeped in hot water. Herbs are also used in poultices, and to
infuse steam or smoke which is breathed by the patient.
Breathing the smoke from burning sage, for example, has been
used as a treatment for asthma. Camphor is a plant whose smell
is familiar to anyone who has used Vick's Vapor Rub. Breathing
the scent of camphor helps clear the sinuses.
Because plants contain such powerful chemicals, there is some
risk associated with herbal medicine. Dosage, for example, is
hard to standardize and control since two plants of the same
species might have completely different levels of the chemical
compounds necessary for healing. Also, herbal remedies can
interact with more traditional drugs that a patient might be
taking.
About The Author: Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles for
http://4alternativehealthinfo.com/
- In addition, Jonathon also
writes articles for http://cookingforfun.net/ and
http://fitness-talk.net/
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