Herbal Health

This post looks at the broad picture of the way in which herbal

                       
remedies may be employed. Herbal remedies can be safely used to:

• Treat common acute problems, for example coughs, headaches, and

skin rashes.

• Treat chronic problems, for example mild depression, arthritis, and

varicose veins.

• Prevent illness.

• Enhance health.

Although they are natural, herbal remedies are medicines and can

therefore cause side effects. For best results, they need to be used sensibly

and with respect. They also need to be used with an awareness of what they

cannot do !

 

Minor acute problems                                                                                                

Herbal remedies are well suited to treating everyday health problems,

though the standard caution about self, or home, treatment always applies:

if you are in doubt, seek immediate professional advice, especially where

unwell children are concerned. Relief for conditions such as headache, sore

throat, cough, gas, and bloating can occur quickly, although gradual,

ongoing improvement in symptoms is more common with herbal medicine.

Warm teas and diluted tinctures can be particularly helpful. For simple problems, treatment for a few days will be sufficient. Skin problems such as minor burns, grazes, and rashes can be treated topically.

Example Symptoms of sore throat and hoarseness suggesting the start of a viral

infection can be treated using remedies such as echinacea (Echinacea spp.),

licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and sage (Salvia officinalis). Take tea or diluted

tincture of one or more of these remedies, first as a gargle, then swallow.

Continue taking three times a day until symptoms have cleared. If symptoms

deteriorate sharply or there is no improvement after five days, seek

professional advice.

 

applying sage
Fresh sage (Salvia officinalis)
leaves are antiseptic and can be
rubbed on insect bites and stings.

Chronic problems

Problems that have lingered for months or even years, such as acid indigestion,

osteoarthritis, and fungal skin infections, can be successfully relieved or improved

with herbal remedies, although longterm treatment may be required (a rule

of thumb used by herbal practitioners is one month’s treatment for every year

the condition has been present). Taking a remedy regularly is likely to prove

more effective than occasional dosing when symptoms flare. That being said, there is

nothing wrong in using herbal remedies for symptomatic relief.

Example Acid indigestion can be relieved (and hopefully reversed) by taking

meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) tea or tincture after meals for several months.

Other remedies such as slippery elm (Ulmus fulva) and chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) may also prove helpful, as will attention to diet.

Preventing illness

Taken long-term, many herbal remedies have been shown to have a

potent ability to prevent illness or deterioration in existing symptoms.

Indeed, some would argue that working on the basis that prevention is the best

medicine is the way to use herbal remedies. The difficulty with a preventive approach of course is that, if successful, one does not see results.

Such an approach nevertheless comes close to the ancient Chinese emperor’s

practice of paying his doctors only as long as he remained well. As a result it

was always in his doctors’ interest to act preventatively rather than once illness

had taken hold.

Example Millions of people take ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) on a daily basis in

order to maintain healthy blood flow to the brain and limbs and to prevent

dementia, both uses that are strongly supported by clinical research. The

herb’s notable antioxidant activity also helps prevent inflammation and allergy.

 

Meadowsweet
Meadowsweet tea
or tincture is
commonly taken
to relieve digestive
problems such as
acidity, indigestion,
and diarrhea.

Enhancing health

Herbs can prove extremely helpful in promoting mental and physical

performance, particularly where constitutional weaknesses exist.

Whether taken by students studying for exams or athletes

preparing for an event (who should remember that herbal remedies may test

positive in drug testing), remedies with tonic and adaptogenic properties

support endurance and the ability to cope with stress. Night shift workers, people

putting in long hours or tolerating extreme conditions in the workplace,

and those suffering from long-term stress may all benefit from such remedies.

Example For exams and interviews, mental focus and vitality can be enhanced with herbs such as rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)—but note that when taking these herbs it is important to try

them out first, before the exam or interview. Similarly, people working long hours or nights can benefit from remedies such as Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) or golden root (Rhodiola rosea) to improve their stamina and work rate.