The word ‘herbal’ is being used more and more today when it comes to healing. What exactly is herbal medicine? It is basically the use of plants or the extracts of plants in order to heal any ailment. So you can get an herbal cure for anything from a simple cold to maybe even depression. After all, most of the medicines that we use today are made from plants. We get aspirin from the bark of the willow, morphine comes from poppies and foxgloves have digoxin extracted from them.

Almost every part of the world has an herbal medicine tradition. In Britain for example, herbs have been used to cure for centuries and many still use them even in the age of modern medicine. So it is with China and India. Each one may have a different approach and different ways of using them but the common thing is the fact that they look to natural sources for cures.

The advantage of herbs

Herbal medicine practitioners believe that herbs are more holistic in their curing capability. Conventional medicine is about isolating and extracting the active ingredients. Herbs usually help the body heal itself. Unlike conventional medication, herbs usually do not have side effects. Herbalists also believe that very often it is not just the active ingredient that is required to heal but a combination of many properties in the herbs. This is why very often the whole plant is used in herbal medicine. Sometimes of course, only a particular part is used, depending on the ailment.

The efficacy of herbs

If you go to an herbal practitioner, he will probably tell you that herbs can cure just about anything under the sun. Is there any evidence that this is true? Unfortunately not too much documented evidence exists. There are however, many herbal treatments that have been put through a time period of observation and there are a number that are said to produce results. Once they have gone through a process of clinical testing, it is easier to talk about their efficacy. Today, St. John’s Wort, for example, is recognised as being helpful in the treatment of depression – maybe just mild to moderate, but it does help. Other herbs like Ginkgo Biloba is used for conditions like Alzheimer's while Black Cohosh is used to mitigate menopausal problems. Colds have people using Echinacea more and more and garlic is very often the first thing that is recommended for high cholesterol levels. Nausea and vomiting call for ginger while an enlarged prostrate is often treated with Saw Palmetto. Of course there is a multitude of herbs which are also used to cure many ailments but as they haven’t been tested yet, they cannot be documented as being effective.


The safety of herbs

While generally herbal remedies are touted as safe when compared to conventional medication, there are instances when herbs can cross the line and become dangerous. There are a number of herbs that should not be used during pregnancy or when you are breastfeeding for example. The problem also lies in the fact that as most herbs have not been tested, their strengths and formulations may differ from product to product. There is no regulation on the manufacturing processes and no way to check the prescribed amounts and concentrations. If there are more regulations in this field as well as governmental control, herbal remedies have the potential of much more growth. The whole issue of herbs being outside the scope of regulation is what perhaps keeps it from growing in mainstream medicine.

Do remember that if you have a serious ailment, do not take herbs unless you check with your physician or go to a registered, trained and well-known herbal practitioner. In the case of ailments that are classified as life-threatening, this line of treatment should not be resorted to in case of complications.

The question of herbs

Should you? Or shouldn’t you? This is something that most people do wonder about. On the one side, herbs have been administered for years and there have been many cures through the ages. On the other, there have been instances when herbs have proved harmful. The rule of thumb to safely follow would probably be to take them when the ailments are minor. Do remember however not to take more than what is prescribed in case you develop complications. It would also be advisable to go to a physician to diagnose whether or not what you believe to be symptoms of minor illnesses are really so. It would be a shame if you treated yourself only to discover that the ailment was worse than you thought, which could mean that a lot of time was wasted before diagnosis.

The availability of herbs

How are herbs available today? Well, you can get them in many forms – in capsules and pills, powders, as creams or ointments too. You find them just about everywhere today – pharmacies, health stores or even in supermarkets. Do go see a trained herbal practitioner if possible. Though it is not a regulated profession, they do go through 3, maybe 5 years of study before they become members of the NIMH or National Institute of Medical Herbalists so they do know how safe and suitable the herbs they prescribe are. In case you have any doubts, talk to your physician as well. Today, more and more physicians are open to look at alternative treatments alongside their own line of treatment as well.

Beyond herbal medicine

There’s more to alternative treatment than just herbs. Though many traditional medicine like Ayurveda and Chinese medicines use herbs, they also use other forms of healing. Ayurveda for example, focuses a lot on yoga and breathing together with massage and diet to let the energy or ‘prana’ back into the body.

Chinese medicine needles to do this. Only, ‘energy’ is called ‘Qi’.

Acupuncture really is growing more and more popular all over the world.

Very often, this is accompanied by an herb cocktail. However, in the U.K. at least, there have been public announcements that the government cannot guarantee the safety of any of these herbs as they have not undergone testing.