Many people today are turning to herbal alternatives for a reason
Plants have been used since ancient times (that is, hundreds of years before modern medicine invented drugs) for healing, relaxation, stimulation and good mood. That is why today in shops, supermarkets and pharmacies you can see on the same shelf, for example, propolis, echinacea and medical drops for the nose. Plants have been an age-old auxiliary therapy for people.
Garlic dates back approximately 5,000 years, and even doctors respect garlic’s ability to lower cholesterol. Gel from the Aloia plant was used by people on the African continent against wounds caused by poisonous arrows, and by the inhabitants of India as a cooling agent. Herbalists recommended the ginseng plant for strengthening the mind and sick eyes as early as 2,000 years ago.
Modern herbalists give ginseng as a tonic to enhance the mental functions of the brain. The Echinacea plant was traditionally used by Native Americans against snake bites, stubborn wounds and against high fever. American settlers appropriated Echinacea as part of their home apothecary against colds and flu. During the Trojan War, soldiers used yarrow to treat wounds. Yarrow is still used today against cuts and scratches. A hemp leaf was soaked in wine that was drunk by the women of ancient Greece to relieve pain during the menstrual cycle.
People have always used plants for healing and nutrition because plants have maintained the well-being of people around the world. 100 years ago, people decided to make a change and develop a new type of help, that is, pharmacy and medicines. Today, people are returning to plants again due to the difficult economic situation around the world, which seems to be getting more and more difficult.
More than 30% of the American population relies on herbal alternatives instead of medically proven drugs. Sales of Echinacea increased by 72% in just 2 years while sales of St. John’s wort (which fights depression) increased by 1900%. There is a huge number of plants on the market that are also used in cosmetology, the food industry, for example, and other branches of industry. So there are chewing gums with vegetable oil, St. John’s wort lipstick and the like.
Today, the company sponsors various advertising campaigns due to the promotion of sales of plants and preparations with plants. Behind this process are many people who seek help in plants and alternative medicine.
The original herbalists learned about plants and the medicinal properties of plants through mistakes and various experiments. They used common sense, intuition and experience in this. Clever herbalists passed on their knowledge to subsequent generations, who added some new knowledge and shaped what is known today as the “belief from the people”. This belief derived from the people ensures that information reaches the next generations through stories and embedding instructions in good stories – which are easily remembered and repeated because they are interesting and useful.
The art of healing with plants flourished until the end of the 19th century
Then the industrial revolution takes place and new technological ideas are created so that man can make everything that nature gives and makes.
Science provides aspirin for pain relief instead of the willow bark that nature provides to humans
Then penicillin was discovered which made people think that now all diseases can be cured. People then forgot about plants. And after several generations, a large part of plant history was lost. After nearly half a century of excessive use of penicillin and other antibiotics, bacteria are developing resistance to these drugs. Many diseases and infections are therefore more difficult to treat today, and medicines have completely harmless side effects.
Herbalism enables people to take care of their health independently
Healing from plants empowers people, because health is otherwise left in the hands of doctors and medical personnel. People can use plants to stay healthy, to prevent some diseases and to cure some diseases. Herbal treatment even has advantages over conventional treatment (because in some cases it can cure a disease that official medicine cannot cure). This way, for example, chronic conditions and everyday diseases (colds and viruses) can be cured.
10 tips for a better understanding of herbal preparations and the effectiveness of herbal treatment
- Learn the plant’s botanical and vernacular names
- Get the initially standard types
- Pay attention to the expiration date and safety closures
- Find out about the recommended doses
- Choose 100% natural herbal preparations
- Choose products with one plant species if possible
- Use/choose verified herbal preparations
- Read any warnings on the labels
- Read articles, books, general press about plants
- Carefully study/beware statements about so-called “magical herbs” that cure everything
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