Herb is the name for any plant that is used for medicinal
purposes or as a spice and for the useful product of
such a plant. Typically, the green, leafy part of the plant
is used. Culinary art is heavily dependent on herbs as
condiments and seasonings. Although plants have
always been the major source for medicines & drugs,
synthetic medicines have replaced herbs to a lot extent.
Herbs can be stores in the following forms – teas,
tinctures, capsules, creams, syrups and oils.
According to botanical sources, a herb is a plant that
does not produce a woody stem, or is a plant that dies
back to the ground at the end of the growing season.
Mankind has known herbs for a very long time. Plethora
of evidences have been found where people in early
ages had used herbs for medicinal purposes. Old
cultures like those in India, China, Egypt and Greece
have known the true value of herbs for treating
diseases. People living in present days in these
cultures are still heavily dependent on herbs, both for
medicinal and culinary purposes. Herbal medicines are
known to not offer any side effects on the patients”s
body. It is estimated that one fifth of the population
living on planet earth still relies on herbs.
Ayurveda from India is supposed to have lived for 5,000
years now, and still stands tallest on the landscape of
herbalism. According to Ayurveda, each person has
unique body constitution, and each individual is made
of five elements – earth, fire, water, air and ether. A
person gets sick when one of these elements in the
body is disturbed. In other words, the body balance
gets perturbed. This disbalance can be restored to
normalcy when the person is treated with proper herbal
medicines.
According to Chinese herbalism, a human body can be
treated with herbs when there is deficiency is some
body system. Chinese doctor would then look for the
most appropriate herb needed to restore the deficiency,
and prescribe the dose.
Today, herbal products industry has emerged on its
own. If herbalists” claims are to be believed, herbs can
cure a person from almost all the known diseases, let it
be blood pressure, diabetes, insomnia, etc.
Herbs are usually not taken in an individual form, rather
as a combination. Herbs are combined to give the
benefits needed from each. Remember that in any
herbal healing undertaken, diet is also very important.
These combinations are not meant to be used in the
place of a doctor”s advice. When using an herb or
herbal combination to combat an illness or strengthen
various systems in the body, it is best to start with a
small amount, and then wait a few hours to be sure you
are not going to have an adverse reaction, before
continuing with the therapy.
Herbs shouldn”t be taken for an indefinitely long period
of time, unless otherwise taken for chronic diseases, as
body may build an immunity to the herb itself.
Herbalists also recommend the following if you are
taking herbs for medicinal purposes – give the same
respect to herbs as given to other medicines, taking
more herbs doesn”t mean faster relief, one dose doesn”t
fit all, and inform your doctor about the herbs consumed
by you.
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