“He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man”
Psalm 104: 14
Herbal Medicine in its holistic sense recognises humanity as an expression of life or vital force that is us and is involved with the whole of us on all levels. Where humanity and plants meet, we have then a synergistic energy, an ecologically- integrated process that heal and harmonises the inner environment of the human body.
Herbs work on the physical body, they are acting to integrate and balance its physiological function and to increase its innate vitality, and they may also heal our hearts and minds, for they open the body to clear flow of integrating and synergising vital energy. The ecological integration of plant activity with human physiology offers the potential for facilitating the healing process at any time in any situations.
The potent healing qualities of herbs have been used in different cultures for many centuries. But at the same time, the modern medicine has its roots in the use of herbs, and a majority of drugs have their origin in plant material- for example steroid drugs synthesized from a chemical extracted from the West African Wild Yam; ephedrine is the active ingredient in the Chinese herb Ma Huang; aspirin synthesized from a number of plants like Meadowsweet and Black Willow; and digoxin for heart failure from Foxglove. But using plants as sources of drugs limits their healing power to that context within which they are used. Potentially in plants we have not only medicines for illness but augmentors for health.
Herbal Medicine – the root of modern medicine
Herbalism has a scope of use as wide as any form of medicine, as herbs may be used for any conditions that is medicinally treatable. Herbal treatment is available for any body system:
- The Digestive System– flatulence, constipation, diarrhoea, ulcers, periodontal disease, reflux, gastritis, hiatus hernia, dyspepsia or indigestion. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, jaundice, chronic hepatitis, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, haemorrhoids etc
- The Cardiovascular System- tonics for the cardiovascular system, hypertension, cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, angina pectoris, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, varicose veins etc
- The Respiratory System- coughs, acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, pertussis, asthma, emphysema, the common cold, influenza, hat fever, sinusitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis etc
- The Nervous System- stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, withdrawal from benzodiazepines, anorexia nervosa, headache, migraine, neuritis, tinnitus, motion sickness, shingles etc
- The Urinary System- frequency, dysuria, hematuria, oedema, cystitis, urinary calculus etc
- The Reproductive System- emmenagogues, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhoea, PMS, menopause, pregnancy, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, fibrocystic breast disease, benign prostatic hypertrophy, infertility etc
- The Musculoskeletal System- myalgia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, gout, bursitis and tendinitis, restless leg syndrome etc
- The Skin- eczema and dermatitis, psoriasis, acne etc
- The Immune System- detoxification, postoperative recovery, infections, vaginitis, prostatitis, boils, fungal skin infections, preventative medicine, cancer etc
- The Endocrine System- hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, the adrenal glands etc
- Phytotherapy and the Elderly- toning and nurturing health in elders, prevention and treatment of disease in elders etc
- Phytotherapy and Children- measles, mumps, colic, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion nausea, otitis media, ADD- Attention Deficit Disorder, diaper rash, cradle cap, impetigo etc.
