The ABC Homeopathy Forum
What is herbal medicine........?
What is herbal medicine?Many well established medicines originally come from plants. For example, the painkiller morphine comes from poppies, aspirin comes from the bark of willow trees and digoxin (a drug used to treat heart failure)
comes from foxgloves.
Traditional herbal medicine has been used in the UK for centuries and it remains popular today, despite scientific advances leading to more medicines and other conventional medical treatments becoming available.
Although it's classed as a complementary medicine in the UK, it's actually the most widely practised form of medicine across the world - 80 percent of the world's population are dependent on herbs for their health.
Some herbal treatments are well established, and have undergone clinical testing. This approach is best called phytotherapy and uses one remedy for one condition based on proper scientific testing.
Traditional herbal medicine makes a diagnosis based on factors that are no longer used by conventi onal medicine. You will be prescribed a herbal mixture that is individual to you and based on your characteristics.
Therefore, 10 different people with depression, for example, would each receive a different mixture (typically made up of six to 10 different herbs).
There are a number of other therapies that use plants as remedies. As well as Western herbal medicine, you may also have heard of:
* aromatherapy
* homeopathy
* Ayurvedic medicine, which treats the mind and body together with herbal medicines, yoga, massage, diet and meditation
* traditional Chinese medicine, which works on the same principles as Ayurveda and uses herbs to boost or disperse qi (energy)..
herbsandcures
galaxy09 on 2009-05-01
This is just a forum. Assume posts are not from medical professionals.
To post a reply, you must first LOG ON or Register
Important
Information given in this forum is given by way of exchange of views only, and those views are not necessarily those of ABC Homeopathy. It is not to be treated as a medical diagnosis or prescription, and should not be used as a substitute for a consultation with a qualified homeopath or physician. It is possible that advice given here may be dangerous, and you should make your own checks that it is safe. If symptoms persist, seek professional medical attention. Bear in mind that even minor symptoms can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition, and a timely diagnosis by your doctor could save your life.