Herbs are plants that are usually grown for medicinal or culinary reasons.
Culinary herbs are non-woody, but medicinal herbs may be a shrub or woody plants.
The use of herbs in healing is an ancient practise.
Evidence has been found in Iraq that 60,000 years ago Neanderthals used herbs for healing.
There is basically three main Herbal traditions used these days:
Western, based on Greek and Roman sources
Ayurvedic from India
Chinese herbal medicine
It should be noted that also some herbs are dangerous and poison to humans.
Also the legal status of herbal ingredients varies country by country.
You should always consult with your physician before using herbs.
Chinese herbology is the Chinese art of combining medicinal herbs.
Herbs are moxed to form a hebal cocktail that is tailored to the individual patient.
Several different methods to classify traditional Chinese herbs:
The Four Natures: pertains to the degree of yin and yang.
The Five Tastes: are sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and salty.
The Meridians: refer to which organs the herbs act upon.
The history of Chinese herbalism may be traced back to 200 B.C.
The Nei Jing is the earliest known document on this and outlines the principles that form the basis of chinese herbalism today.
The first major encyclopedia of Chinese herbalism was released by Li Shizen in the 16th century.
These days Chinese Herbalism is reffered to as Traditional Chinese Medicine.
In China it is a recognized course at university.
The three most important principles of TCM are Yin and Yang, Holism and the Five Elements.
TCM Traditinal Chines Medicine, views the body holistically.
It is seen as a integrated whole.
Problems in the one area, affect the others.
Running through the body is a network of channeles carrying "qi", life energy.
In TCM when the Yin and Yang in the body is disturbed, disease or emotional problems occur.
This can be further defined as, interior (yin), exterior (yang), deficiency (yin), excess (yang), cold (yin) and hot (yang).
TCM also includes the concept of the Five Elements, earth, fire, wood, metal and water.
The concept of the Five Elements applies to all things including the bodies internal organs.
Chinese herbs are used to balance these forces.
Chinese herbs are classified under the Five Elements according to taste.
The opposing Yin/Yang qualities of hot and cold are linked with actions of specific herbs.
Chinese herbs work on specific organs and meridians with tendencies of action, Floating and Sinking, Ascending and Descending.
In TCM herbs are usually taken as a formula of 10 to 15 herbs.
Each herb will have a different role.
Chinese herbs may be prepared as pills, tea, powders, creams and lotions.
Kampo medicine is the Japanese study and adaptation of Chinese medicine to their own unique herbal medical system and diagnosis.
Kampo is primarily concerned with the study of herbs.
Currently over 80% of the worlds population uses herbs for health.
The history of western herbalism may be traced back as far as 1,500 B.C. where records show herbs found in Egyptian papyri.
It was the early writings of physicians in the first and 2nd century A.D. that laid the foundation for modern western herbalism.
It was these texts that Islamic physicians used right up to the middle ages.
This learning of heabs found its way back to Europe through the Knights Templar.
Previously the Catholic Church had suppressed this learning.
Herbalism flourished, especially through the celtic and cathar religeons.
But during the times of the inquisition, anyone caught practising herbalism was sentanced to death.
Eventually with the declining power of the church herbalism started to find its way into everyday society.
A number of writings on herbs started to appear.
As the growth of science in medicine became strong from the 18th century, herbal medicine began to suffer a decline.
Herbal lore still however remained popular among many.
In the late 1900 herbal medicine started to become popular again.
It has continued to grow and has eventually found its place alongside scientific medicine.
Western herbalism is a holistic system that seeks to restore the bodies self healing abilities.
Remedies are tailored to the patient, not the symptoms.
Western herbalists attribute disease to the bodies self regulating state of harmony.
The herbalists skill lies in knowing the actions of different plants on specific body systems.
Herbal synagy is the key to western herbalism.
This theory is that parts of whole plants are more effective than the isolated constituints used in drugs that are made synthetically.
The herbal remedies are extracted from different parts of the plant including leaves and flowers.
It is this mix that creates the herbal synagy.
On the other hand pharmaceutical companies often isolate and synthesize the active ingrediants of a plant.
To ensure a high concentration of active constituints herbs are processed quickly after harvesting.
The petals are removed from the dried flower before being stored.
The seeds are separated by drying bunches upside down and then shaking over a papwer lined tray.
The root parts are chopped into small pieces and left to dry for a few hours in a warm oven.
The gel is collected from plants by scrapping along the inside of the leaf.
Bark, roots and berries are sometimes boiled in water to extract the active ingrediants.
Herbal remedies may take longer to work than traditional remidies.
Always consult only a qualified herbalist before using herbs.
MILK THISTLE, may be of assistance to the liver
EVENING PRIMROSE OIL, providing natural relief
GUARANA, a vine plant that produces a rich red berry
PAU DARCO, used by native indians for centuries
ASTRAGALUS, used by traditional practitioners to strengthen the body
MORNING SICKNESS, herbs which may be of use
THROAT PROBLEMS, herbs to ease a sore throat
LIVER, using herbs for the liver
GINKGO, the oldest living tree known to man
TRIBULUS, a natural method for men to increase fertility
CANOLA OIL, canola oil is the lowest in saturated fat
Paralumun New Age Village