Since the use of herbal medicine has been traced back to cave drawings from the Neanderthal period some 60,000 years ago, some find it hard to refer to herbalism as an alternative form of medicine. Considering the three basic types of herbal medicine it history shows a strong following before the introduction of modern pharmaceutical development.
Ayurvedic medicine has its basis in the beliefs of herbal medicine from India, Chinese herbalism and Greek and Roman practices are the three main types of herbal medicine practiced in the Western world today. While each plant used in herbal medicine has its own properties and specific targeted ailment, many times they are mixed to create formulations to treat a wide variety of health problems. How they are taken can also be part of the treatment, whether eaten, as in a salad, powdered and placed in capsule form or removing the plant’s extract in boiling water and consumed as a tea.
Many people also believe the animal kingdom is the number on believer and beneficiary of the types of herbal medicine as they have been shown to head towards plants they ordinarily would not approach during times of certain ailments. Many of the plants that are bitter to certain ailments will be eaten lightly, if the animal shows signs of sickness. Following the consumption the animal usually returns to good health.
Side Effects Still Possible With Botanicals
Despite the natural nature of herbs and other plants, some types of herbal medicine can still cause side effects if consumed in excessive quantities. For example, Belladonna, often used for certain stomach ailments, can be deadly if too much is consumed. The berries from the deadly night shade bush can be deadly for children, if as few as three are consumed. However, some of the plant’s derivatives are used to treat stomach aches in infants.
Many people are pursuing benefits from one of types of herbal medicine to combat many of the side effects from pharmaceutical creations. While the manufactured drugs may be beneficial to the ailment for which they are prescribed, the aide effects may range from inconvenient to being worse than the original problem. Some would prefer a natural remedy without the side effects, regardless of the effectiveness of the drug.
Many of today’s medicine is based on the types of herbal medicine that were used for thousands of years. In fact, some of the same ingredients remain part of the formulations. When the plant or its extracts cannot be found, they can be made in the laboratory and used in modern medicine.
|
