History and Use of Herbal and Botanical Medicine
The use and study of herbs is called herbology, while herbal medicine is sometimes referred to as botanical medicine. In any way, herbal medicine is an ancient science that is known to have started in China. It uses the medicinal characteristics of herbs and spices to cure different ailments. Innate properties of plants are used to supply the body the needed help to self-heal. It works generally slower than conventional drugs, but it can be beneficial especially for the prevention of illnesses.
Herbal medicine has sustained its presence in the world despite the emergence of modern medicine. It is an all-natural and safe cure with little or no side effects especially for long standing ailments. These days, more and more people are developing an affinity to herbal medicine not only to cure diseases but to improve quality of life by preventing illness, maintaining health and providing long life.
History of Herbal Medicine
Since prehistoric times, people have depended on nature to save them from the various diseases that were known to be the work of the devil. Herbal medicine started through the practice of observation of animal food preferences when they are ill and by continuous trial and error. The collected medical information on the properties of shrubs, flowers, berries, roots, and bark and how they treat ailments has formed the first herbal medicine system. This traditional herbal system has played a large part in the development of the modern pharmaceuticals.
Use of Herbal Medicine in Modern Times
Herbal medicine has come to be known as alternative medicine. It has its own diagnosis system that determines the treatment for each individual patient. In the world of modern and sophisticated medicine and pharmacology, herbal medicine still maintains its own spot in the medical world. This is mainly due to the healing success of popular herbs such as chamomile for calming hyperactive kids, rhubarb for intestinal infection, ginger for digestion, and ginseng for stress reduction among the few. The herbs being used in herbal medicine today are mostly those that have been tried and tested to work over the centuries.
Herbal medicine is still part of the health care program of mainland China and Taiwan while the World Health Organization has estimated that around 75% of people worldwide rely on herbal medicine. Science is now trying to find out the secrets and full potential of these herbs, especially with the emergence of new diseases.
Posted in Chinese Herbs