Now more than ever, herbal medicine is needed in the world.
We are experiencing soaring rates of illness and incurable disease that is keeping people stuck in a dysfunctional medical system that is NOT working.
Patients are prescribed medication after medication that doesn’t get to the root cause of their condition, and directly causes a slew of uncomfortable side effects. Unfortunately, these patients are feeling unwell and unhappy, but there is another way.
Prior to the invasion of Big Pharma, people on every continent and in every culture around the world incorporated herbs and plant medicine into their daily lives for both food and healing.
Herbal remedies have played a key role in human health for thousands of years.
Below are examples of culinary herbs that have been used as food and medicine:
- In Ancient Egypt coriander, fennel, juniper, cumin, garlic, and thyme were classified as health-promoting, and workers on the Great Pyramids regularly consumed garlic for strength and vitality
- Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, wrote about the medicinal uses of thyme, coriander, cinnamon, mint, and marjoram
- Medical writings of Charaka (1st-century medical scholar from India) referenced cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, turmeric, and pepper for healing purposes
- Ancient practitioners of Taoism diligently used cooking for the pursuit of health and their recipes included leaves, roots, stems, flowers, seeds, bark, and fungi
- According to ancient food lore, Confucius would eat no meal that did not contain a little ginger
Time-tested botanical remedies ease the suffering someone may be experiencing, without a barrage of negative side effects that so often accompany pharmaceutical medications.
Nourishing plant remedies support the body on a deep nutritive level where it is needed most to heal the root of the condition.
Dr. James Still (1812-1885), medical doctor and herbalist said, “I have long considered vegetable medicine all that is needed for the ills of the human family.”
From simple herbal teas that date back over 4,000 years ago to the complex plant protocols that are used by modern herbalists, healing the body and mind using natural remedies is making a much-needed comeback in the world today.
The various properties and constituents of plant medicine create a wide range of physiological reactions in the human body.
Some examples include:
- Bitters – trigger a sensory response in the CNS that sends a message to the gut
- Diaphoretics – open the pores to make the organism sweat
- Antispasmodics – ease spasms or cramps in the muscles
- Adaptogens – helps the body adapt and moderate the stress response
- Alteratives – alter and improves the body’s metabolic processes from nutrition to elimination
- Anticatarrhals – eliminate excess mucus
- Antimicrobials – destroy pathogenic organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses
- Astringents – tighten the tissues
- Carminatives – ease discomfort caused by gas
- Demulcents – contain mucilaginous properties that soothe inflamed and irritated tissues
- Emmenagogues – stimulate menstrual flow and function
- Expectorants – stimulate the removal of mucus from the lungs
- Diuretics – aid the body in ridding excess fluids
- Hepatics – support liver function and increase the flow of bile
- Immunomodulators – modify and regulate the immune system
- Nervines – ease anxiety, relax and restore the nervous system
When we understand the reactions natural remedies create, we can use them to support the body’s physical needs.
With herbal remedies, it’s essential to keep in mind that this is gentle medicine with long-term benefits and effects.
Gentle does NOT mean ineffective. Gentle simply means that there are little or no toxic side effects. It also means that healing may not happen overnight.
It’s vital to practice patience with the natural healing process, as the body receives the deep nutrients it needs.
One of the overlooked gifts that plant medicine offers human beings is something that pharmaceutical medication is not capable of. And, that is to connect people back to the planet.
When people become aware that the plants growing on this planet support their health and bring relief from suffering, they’ll be more conscious about what happens to the earth, the forests, and the various ecosystems where a large majority of these plant medicines are growing.
As an herbalist, I understand that bridging the connection between humans, plants and the planet, is not only good for our health, it is essential for our existence as a species.
Start using natural remedies to support your own health, and the health of the planet.
Use the delicious recipes on my website to create nourishing meals for yourself and your family. Or simply enjoy a healing cup of herbal tea.
If you want to understand how to use food and herbs as medicine, download my FREE Using Food and Herbs as Medicine Guide for a delicious dose of natural healing.
