The art of using herbal or plant medicine to treat disease is called herbal healing or herbalism. Herbal Healing aims not to be an all out cure of a disease but acts as a complementary therapy in helping and encouraging the body to heal itself through homeostasis.

Homeostasis is defined as when the body is put into a state where toxins are eliminated and organs and systems within the body are either calmed or stimulated naturally by the body's own self healing system.

Herbal Healing is practiced in every corner of the world and records alone of the use of herbal medicine dates back thousands upon thousands of years. Many of these records originate from out of China, Egypt and also Greece, the birthplace of Hippocrates himself, well known as the "father of medicine" and the man quoted as stating "Let food be your medicine!"

Herbal medicine and remedies have fought hard over the generations for a genuine, recognized, and appreciated contribution to treatment of ailments, illnesses and disease against its traditional western medicine foes.

The early "herbalists" were simply those such as the indigenous that had a wonderful understanding of the effects certain parts of plants and herbs had on common ailments. This knowledge was gleaned and passed on through the generations by word of mouth and came from a world not ruled by active ingredients listings, chemical enhancers and complex formulations and patents.

At a time further on in our worlds history, and also a time of distrust and misinformation combined with a healthy fear of the unknown, herbal medicine copped a massive beating and its use was linked to black magic, witchcraft and the occult. Tragically, many innocent people were hunted and burned at the stake as witches as a result of these ill feelings.

In these more recent of times however, it seems that our generation is crying out for a return to more natural, holistic, non-invasive and alternative therapies. Hence the use of medicinal herbs and associated herbal remedies has exploded with a confidence not seen for many years. We are looking for more natural and less clinical methods and herbal remedies are making a comeback!

Some of the main benefits in using medicinal herbs and herbal healing is its quite low cost to produce and use, the fact that they are naturally grown and made and also the fact that as these remedies are derived from the plant world, side effects are minimal due to the fact that the body is made to handle them. When herbal medicine is practiced by a reputable therapist or practitioner there is an extremely low amount of risk.

The use of herbal healing is not all beer and skittles however and there are some areas to be aware of when deciding to engage in these alternative therapies.

Yes, herbs are of course natural however it does not mean they won't do you any damage. You should always seek out the advice of a qualified and reputable herbal medicine practitioner especially when treating serious or chronic health conditions. The key here is dosage!

Although friends, family or work colleagues might mean well, don't take as gospel every home remedy or handy hint offered to you. You would not necessarily ask a piano teacher about her recommendations on the latest range of 1000 megahertz LCD TV's. Same goes for herbal medicine! Watch out for some chemists and market stalls as well as they can have a tendency to push products with some amazing yet unproven claims! It is also a good idea to know how the herb you are choosing to use actually works to soothe the condition you are treating.

If you are growing your own medicinal herbs, research them and know everything there is to know about them including botanical names, known dangers if any and exactly what they look like and how they grow. If you are just starting out on your herb journey and are not 100% familiar with your herb plants, ensure when buying seedlings that they are labeled correctly and you truly know what you are buying.

For best results when using herbal medicine, try and incorporate several different types of herbs that have similar properties rather than putting all your eggs in one basket with just a single herb.

Common sense also tells us that we should always, always, always, immediately cease the use of any herbal medicine or herbal remedy that seems to aggravate or worsen the condition attempting to be treated.

In concluding this basic introduction to herbal healing and using medicinal herbs, please feel confident in the knowledge that herbal medicine is absolutely safe and an excellent complementary technique and practice when used correctly.
As said by Paracelsus way back in the 16th century, "It is the dosage which decides whether a substance is a poison or medicine."

May you truly have a "Better Herb Garden!"

For years I have enjoyed the relaxing and fulfilling hobby of growing herbs at home. Nothing beats the fresh taste of home grown herbs in comparison to bought ones and whether you live on a farm, in an apartment, or anywhere in between, there is room for a home herb garden at your place!


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