What are Herbal Medicines & How Can They Support Your Healing?
The world of herbal medicine can spark all sorts of feelings for those who are new to it. Whether you’re skeptical, overwhelmed, confused, hopeful, unsure, or eager to dive in, let us demystify things by breaking down the basics for you. There is a whole side of nature you didn’t even know you were missing out on!
Herbal medicine originated from ancient cultures that relied on the power of plants for their extensive healing capabilities. The Chinese Materia Medica was first published in 1596 and lists thousands of medicinal plants. But that was far from the start of herbal medicine! Ancient practitioners like this guy named Shennong gathered and tested information for 2000 years before that.
Herbal medicine involves the medicinal use of plants to treat disease and enhance general health and wellbeing. While technology and modern science have helped us expand upon the natural powers of herbal medicine, to discredit herbal medicine immediately is to deny the history of western medicine.
Nature gave us everything we would need, whether in its pure form or as a starting point! So why did we stop trusting it?
The roots of western medicine and most pharmaceuticals on the market all stem from our foundational knowledge of how plants helped to heal or strengthen the body. Many western medications are based on man-made versions of naturally occurring compounds found in plants. For instance, the heart medicine digitalis was derived from the foxglove plant.
Some herbs have very potent ingredients and should be taken with the same level of caution as pharmaceutical medications. This is why working with a certified herbalist who is aware of your medical history and current situation is incredibly important.
Many pharmaceutical medications are based on a single active ingredient derived from a plant source. However, herbal medicine shows us that an active ingredient can lose its impact or become less safe if used in isolation from the rest of the plant or plant parts. Nature knew what she was doing!
As these medicines only contain plants or plant parts, they are not regulated by the FDA. However, despite not being FDA regulated, over one-third of Americans report turning to herbal remedies to help treat diseases and ailments.
Herbal medicines can be powerful allies in treating a variety of issues including:
Anxiety
Menopause symptoms
Menstrual irregularities
Gastrointestinal symptoms
Migraines
Chronic headaches
Pain
Stress
There are a variety of different ways you can use herbal medicines. Some common methods include taking capsules (pills), brewing them as tea, applying to the skin through a salve or lotion, or even adding them to your bathwater.
At Soul Sprout, our certified herbalists often use herbal medicine to complement your treatments in order to accelerate your healing. If you are curious to learn more about the power of herbal medicine and how to dabble in these gifts from the earth safely and effectively, we can discuss them during your initial consultation.
