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Herbal medicine

by admin_ben — last modified 2008-01-24 03:04

Herbal medicine uses plants to treat illness, common ailments and to restore general health. The whole plant can be used - the stems, leaves, roots, bark, berries, fruits and seeds. The herb is then soaked in boiling water and drunk as a tea or made into ointments, powders, pills, capsules, lozenges, pessaries or liquid tinctures.

Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years. We used plants for healing long before the advent of modern pharmaceuticals. The ancient civilisations of China, Egypt, Greece, Tibet, Persia and India used these medicinal herbs and today most of the world's population - three quarters - still use herbal medicine and have no access to modern pharmaceuticals.

Herbal medicine is a holistic therapy; it treats the whole person, not just the symptoms. The focus is on stimulating the body's natural healing powers. Ancient civilisations discovered the healing properties of plants by trial and error. Since then many scientific trials have been carried out on these plants to verify their efficacy.

What happens when I go and see a herbalist?
A consultation lasts about an hour. The herbalist will ask you about:

  • Your medical history
  • Your symptoms
  • Your lifestyle
  • Your diet
  • Your work
  • Your emotional state

The herbalist may:

  • Take your blood pressure
  • Listen to your chest
  • Examine your eyes and ears
  • Take a blood or urine test

They will then give you a diagnosis and prescribe herbs.

Important questions to ask your practitioner:

  1. Does the plant have any side effects, especially when taken with any other herbs or medicines?
  2. What qualifications do they have?
  3. Are they a member of a professional UK association?
  4. Have they treated other patients with similar symptoms?
  5. Do their herbal suppliers carry out regular quality controls?


To find a qualified practitioner in your area visit these websites: National Institute of Medical Herbalists or The Association of Master Herbalists

Disclaimer
All content in the Healthy Ideas section is for general information only and is not intended to replace medical advice. Always consult your GP if you are concerned about your health. SPAN is not responsible or liable for any actions taken by a user of this site. SPAN is not liable for the contents of any external sites listed, nor does it endorse any advice, products or services mentioned on these sites.

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