All through history, people have sought ways of staying healthy or recovering from illness. Our rich herbal tradition is testimony to centuries of experimentation, observation, and conclusions. As medical doctors and drug manufacturers began to dominate health care, this ancient wisdom was dismissed as 'folk lore'. However, continues use as well as scientific research continues to validate the benefits of botanical medicine.
Medicine is something used to prevent and treat disease. 'Botanical' means derived from plants. In all cultures, people have discovered that flowers, leaves, berries, roots, and bark have strengthening, soothing, and curative properties. Many pharmaceutical drugs prescribed today are derived from plants. Most of us are familiar with some botanical remedies.
Other remedies are familiar. Limes and lemons were discovered to prevent and reverse scurvy, an illness that affected sailors on long sea voyages or explorers in arctic regions. Long before Vitamin C was isolated, citrus fruits were carried along to prevent bleeding gums, loosened teeth, muscular weakness, and eventual death from this deficiency disease. This disorder was unknown to people on shore who had access to fresh fruits and vegetable.
People may need to know the healthful resources of field and forest someday, as they did during the world wars. The English scoured the hedgerows for rose hips, the red seed pods that are rich in vitamin C and bioflavanoids. They grew carrots for the fighter pilots who needed excellent night vision, and supplemented their own meager rations with dandelion greens and other field and roadside weeds. Ranchers watched the wild animals and learned which tree bark would eliminate worms in their horses. Desert dwellers harvested aloe and jojoba and feasted on many kinds of cactus.
Today there is a large market for herbal remedies. Midwives send mothers-to-be to health food stores for red raspberry tea (uterine toning), ginger (morning sickness), or herbal iron supplements. Nursing mothers take fenugreek to boost milk production. Insomniacs seek out chamomile, passion flower, and hops. People fight fatigue with blue green algae, guarana, ginseng, and gota kola.
Tea tree oil is sold as an antiseptic, a fungal fighter, and get rid of head lice. Neem oil is used for oral health, to prevent and cure fungus infections, and even as birth control. Tea tree oil comes from Australia, neem from India, pau d'arco from South America, ginseng from the Far East and from America, pine bark from France, and chlorella from Japan. Every country and continent has its beneficial plants which are becoming globally popular as information spreads and 'folklore' is investigated.
Much of our food is vegetation. What we call herbs are simply nutrient rich plants. If food is the best medicine, as the old folks say, it makes sense to eat wisely and know the benefits. Garlic and onions are both food and medicine. Garden produce, eaten fresh and whole, is known to be good for us. A diet of shelf-stable, processed foods is not considered a healthy one.
No one today denies that plants are medicinal. It's good to learn ways in which wild or garden plants can keep us healthy. Knowing the benefits of garlic, fresh berries, and salad herbs brings new meaning to a home garden, and the fields and forests are open to those who want to learn their secrets.
Medicine is something used to prevent and treat disease. 'Botanical' means derived from plants. In all cultures, people have discovered that flowers, leaves, berries, roots, and bark have strengthening, soothing, and curative properties. Many pharmaceutical drugs prescribed today are derived from plants. Most of us are familiar with some botanical remedies.
Other remedies are familiar. Limes and lemons were discovered to prevent and reverse scurvy, an illness that affected sailors on long sea voyages or explorers in arctic regions. Long before Vitamin C was isolated, citrus fruits were carried along to prevent bleeding gums, loosened teeth, muscular weakness, and eventual death from this deficiency disease. This disorder was unknown to people on shore who had access to fresh fruits and vegetable.
People may need to know the healthful resources of field and forest someday, as they did during the world wars. The English scoured the hedgerows for rose hips, the red seed pods that are rich in vitamin C and bioflavanoids. They grew carrots for the fighter pilots who needed excellent night vision, and supplemented their own meager rations with dandelion greens and other field and roadside weeds. Ranchers watched the wild animals and learned which tree bark would eliminate worms in their horses. Desert dwellers harvested aloe and jojoba and feasted on many kinds of cactus.
Today there is a large market for herbal remedies. Midwives send mothers-to-be to health food stores for red raspberry tea (uterine toning), ginger (morning sickness), or herbal iron supplements. Nursing mothers take fenugreek to boost milk production. Insomniacs seek out chamomile, passion flower, and hops. People fight fatigue with blue green algae, guarana, ginseng, and gota kola.
Tea tree oil is sold as an antiseptic, a fungal fighter, and get rid of head lice. Neem oil is used for oral health, to prevent and cure fungus infections, and even as birth control. Tea tree oil comes from Australia, neem from India, pau d'arco from South America, ginseng from the Far East and from America, pine bark from France, and chlorella from Japan. Every country and continent has its beneficial plants which are becoming globally popular as information spreads and 'folklore' is investigated.
Much of our food is vegetation. What we call herbs are simply nutrient rich plants. If food is the best medicine, as the old folks say, it makes sense to eat wisely and know the benefits. Garlic and onions are both food and medicine. Garden produce, eaten fresh and whole, is known to be good for us. A diet of shelf-stable, processed foods is not considered a healthy one.
No one today denies that plants are medicinal. It's good to learn ways in which wild or garden plants can keep us healthy. Knowing the benefits of garlic, fresh berries, and salad herbs brings new meaning to a home garden, and the fields and forests are open to those who want to learn their secrets.
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