5 Reasons to use Herbal Medicine
Why more people are switching to a real health care system.
“The scope of herbal medicine ranges from mild-acting plant medicines, such as chamomile and peppermint, to very potent ones like foxglove (from which the drug digitalis is derived). In between these two poles lies a wide spectrum of plant medicine with significant medical applications. One need only go to the United States Pharacopoeia to see the central role that plant medicine has played in American medicine.” - Donald Brown
1. Herbal medicine is the natural choice
Let’s face it, herbs have been growing on this planet longer than we have so it only makes sense that while a plethora of these herbs can harm us there are a plethora of them that heal in amazing ways.
Take for example the herb Eleuthero. Also known as Siberian Ginseng this adaptogenic herb has such amazing stress relieving and toning properties that it was given to patients after Chernobyl to fight the harmful effects of radiation. Other herbs such as garlic can be found cheaply and provide a whole host of effects.
The compounds isolated from garlic have been shown to have antimicrobial, cardioprotective, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties may play a role in the belief that garlic helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
We tend not to think about the fact less than a century ago we humans relied almost entirely on plants to treat our illnesses. Though all the info is out there and a lot of herbs are easily accessible we have given away part of our power in exchange for the ease of being able to go to the pharmacy and pick out a pre-made product. Though there is nothing wrong with doing that some problems that arise are a lack of knowledge about what you’re consuming, a lack of understanding of the body and what it needs to heal, and sometimes many side effects. Herbs are the natural choice because they can be helpful by allowing you to
Take health into your own hands
Rely less on the disease-care system
Experience fewer side effects
2. Herbal medicine has been in use for centuries.
It is understandable that some folks out there don’t believe in herbal medicine. Herbs have such amazing benefits that the described effect of some of the herbs out there sounds completely magical. So magical in fact that in some cultures plants were considered to have souls, and traditions like not cutting elder trees for fear of arousing the anger of the Elder Mother, the spirit that lived in and protected the tree, were started.
It can be hard to believe that not too long ago healing was holistic and heavily reliant on “magic”, mysticism, and age-old oral traditions. Especially in a time of medical specialization in which an expert in Oncology will know little about the developments in medicine for ear, nose, and throat. Medicine was much more holistic and herbs played a major role.
Up until the 20th century, every village had a wealth of herbal folklore. They gained this knowledge and understanding over time through trial, error, and acute observation. Our ancestors had a wide range of medicinal plants at their disposal and they likewise understood the profound healing powers of plants. Herbal medicine has been in use for centuries because
It is one of the most ancient healing arts.
It is and will always be the medicine of the people.
It has always existed and always will because we live in symbiosis with plants.
3. Herbal medicine is a part of what true healthcare is.
Here at Buckner’s Botanica, we believe in holistic healthcare, an approach to life that considers multidimensional aspects of wellness. It encourages individuals to recognize the whole person: physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual. We believe that herbal medicine fits into that framework perfectly because it typically aims to find and heal the weakness in us that allowed the seed of infection to find fertile ground as opposed to the aim of conventional medicine which is usually to eradicate the ”bug” or abnormal condition.
While we believe that herbal medicine is a part of what true healthcare is we also believe that conventional medicine is as well. We believe that physicians must have sufficient diagnostic skills to identify life-threatening conditions and their risk factors regardless of whether they are doctors or complementary practitioners. A complex web of factors may lie behind the onset of illness. For people with acute illnesses, it may be too late to use an herbal approach to treatment.
Remedies aim to strengthen one’s resistance, improve the vitality of weakened tissue and encourage the body’s natural regenerative and healing tendency which works in a lot of cases, but in more severe circumstances strong conventional medicine such as heart drugs, antibiotics, and painkillers can be lifesavers. Herbal medicine and health care go hand in hand because
Illness often exists on many levels
Healthcare is more than just treating the effect
Herbs work in tune with our bodies, and their remedies aim to strengthen our natural resistance
4. Herbal medicine is a cost-effective option
When using medicine whether Conventional or herbal you should definitely be responsible and do your research. Especially when it comes to major health conditions. Another thing you should keep an eye out for is price.
Did you know that two weeks worth of ginger powder (assuming that you that the daily recommended dose of 4 grams) is cheaper than two weeks worth of Prilosec OTC, “‘The #1 Doctor recommended brand’ for heartburn relief”?
I use this example to try and illustrate the fact that there are a lot of low-cost and effective herbs out there that can help with a whole host of issues. In fact you may have some growing in your yard at this moment and just not know it.
5. It’s easy to get started
You may not believe that just three or so years ago I didn’t know anything at all about herbal medicine. I was just a guy who had decided that he was going to take his health into his own hands. After making that decision I started eating well, exercising more, learning life principles, and unpacking emotional baggage. During this time I watched a movie called Limitless and was inspired to look more into the world of nootropics. I thought that the idea of boosting your mental performance was the coolest thing and even learned that some nootropics are derived naturally so it should be of no surprise that later when an acquaintance of mine offered me Some Ashwagandha and Eleuthero Tincture claiming that they would relieve stress and anxiety while promoting focus and mental clarity I was totally willing to give it a shot.
After that, the spark was lit. I got some books, started taking notes, and started consuming content about herbal medicine. These days I have a passion for herbal medicine and a business surrounding it, but in the beginning, all I had was the desire to find out a little bit more. It isn’t hard to get started with herbal medicine. It’s as simple as getting a book from the library, you just need a desire to know more about it. There’s likely someone in your life right now that has the knowledge and is willing to share it with you.
