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| Herbs 101; John Heinerman | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 24 2004, 04:03 AM (126 Views) | |
| ed-gracetoday | Sep 24 2004, 04:03 AM Post #1 |
Elder
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Herbs 101 by John Heinerman What Are Herbs? An herb is a neglected weed. Dandelions, which are good for the liver, and chickweed, which purifies the blood, are the bane of lawn lovers, gardeners, and landscapers. Yet both weeds, which are what horticulturists rightfully consider and call them, have proven to be a blessing many times over for those seeking ways to improve their own health. The use of herbs is rooted deep (pun intended) in ancient history. In prehistoric times cave dwellers discovered the virtues of these weeds for different purposes. Herbs helped our early ancestors to get rid of "dino" breath, heal scratches inflicted by angry saber-toothed tigers, digest raw McMammoth burgers, and even fetch a spouse without resorting to clubbing tactics. In Biblical days, herbs were frequently used by different cultures for religious purification and spiritual enlightenment, besides the obvious healing of various maladies believed to have been inflicted by angry gods due to dissatisfied lifestyles. How Do Herbs Work? Herbs work a number of different ways inside the human body. A number of their chemical constituents elicit different metabolic responses, which include enhanced energy, sharper intellect, vision clarity, improved digestion, smoother skin, calmer nerves, better circulation, and expeditious waste elimination. The safety record for herbs is fabulous, less than 20-recorded deaths in the past decade. That figures out to be approximately 2 fatalities per year, most of which were due to harvesting strange plants in the wild by the uninformed and ingesting them afterwards without much attention to what they were doing. How very different this is from the frightening statistics for drug-induced fatalities, most of which are hospital-related, and claims the lives of tens of thousands of Americans on an annual basis. So-called drug safety really pales in comparison to properly defined herbal safety. How Will I Know If & When The Herbs Are Working? The human body usually responds within a very short time to many herbs. The pulse quickens, the step is livelier, hand-and-voice characteristics become more animated, and energy surges abound throughout the system when plant stimulants are ingested. By contrast, the brain goes into a resting mode, nerves calm down, glands relax, and everything becomes more laid back as the body enters a tranquil phase. Also, pain is relieved, inflammation reduced, and headaches evaporate when specific herbs are at work internally. Herbs are then capable of accelerating or decelerating numerous physiological responses within the system depending, of course on which ones are used, how much is used at given time, and the intended length of their use. Not all herbs, of course, are capable of such immediate manifestations. A number of nutritive herbs such as alfalfa, kelp, and slippery elm will promote nourishment but do so in an uneventful way. Nothing will seem too apparent about them until some weeks have passed, at which time their vital roles will become more established. One of the first evidences that they are working is when a particular vitamin, mineral, amino acid or enzyme deficiency is resolved and subtle improvement noticed. Herbs come in different forms such as teas, tinctures, tablets, capsules, powders, and poultices. Each form works in a different way for specific health needs. Each form has an advantage of another. Teas work quickly, but heat destroys some of their vitamin content. Alcohol-based tinctures draw out essential oils that none of the other forms can do. Tablets and capsules are very convenient to carry with you and take when traveling somewhere. Powders and poultices are best for external applications to draw out infection or to reduce inflammation and swelling. What Are Standardized Herbs? Why Use Them? In recent times standardized herbs have become the rage of health professionals and consumers alike. The herb industry is now geared towards this form of herbs more than any other. Simply put, a standardized herb is a plant, which has been submitted to a number of lengthy and often expensive extraction processes in order to capture its full essential chemical benefits, but to leave off some of the less important features such as fiber. Once it has become standardized, such an herb is far more potent than in its regular form. This means that less is required for the same identical purpose. As a result the body doesn't need so much of it and natural resources are spared unnecessary harvesting of larger amounts to accomplish the same thing. Standardization is the present and future way for the herb industry and herbal treatment in general. In this case, "less is better". Do Herbs Replace Drugs? Herbs will never fully replace drugs but they can and do serve as useful adjuncts in the overall health care process. The present popular terms "alternative" and "holistic" frequently used to describe those medicines outside the purview of orthodox medicine really are misnomers. A disease, such as diabetes, generally requires daily insulin and no amount of specific anti-diabetic herbs will ever replace its need for human survival. However, a more realistic description for such herbal therapy might come under the headings of either "complementary" or "integrated" medicines. This means that they complement or are an integral part of regular medical care and prescription drugs. It is in this type of setting that herbs should be properly considered instead of just by themselves. Those of us who have grown up outside the realm of folk medicine are best advised to consider herbs in this light. As for someone like myself, who was born at home and grew up in a constant environment of folk healing as formerly practiced by my aged Hungarian grandmother, then such herbal remedies become the sole choice of treatment. There are cultures in which herbal remedies abound on a continuous basis, such as African-American, Hispanic, Chinese, and Native American. Within these cultural systems, herbs have become a way of life for many individuals. The vast majority of those in modern society who have not grown up with such things, should use an integrated approach in their consumption of herbs in conjunction with regular medical care. When using herbs on a fairly consistent basis, it is always a good idea to keep them separate from regular medications by 3 to 4 hours. This prevents them from interacting unfavorably with prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Some herbs can be taken with meals, while others work better on an empty stomach. Consult label instructions on the products you intend using to find out what is recommended. And be sure to always drink a full 8-oz. glass of water when taking herbs in tablet, capsule, or powdered forms. This will enable them to be better assimilated into the system and to prevent possible mild dehydration from setting in. Always tell your doctor if you are taking herbal supplements. What Herbs Are The Most Popular & Why? Herbs, which give energy, promote vitality and well-being, enhance physical appearances, aid digestion and assist in waste elimination, relieve pain, and provide relaxation and sleep, are the most popular ones which consumers readily seek out for stimulation and comfort. As a rule herbs are soothing to the system and can provide relief and help in ways that no medications can. Just look through a medical journal some time and notice all of the necessary cautions and "red flags" placed there by manufacturers to ensure that doctors will fully understand the potential side effects in the pharmaceuticals being advertised for their benefit. Then look through the advertisements placed in numerous health journals and you will find virtually no such warnings placed there with regard to herbal supplements. And this is because herbs are safer than drugs any day! After all, that's how nature intended it to be. |
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3:09 PM Jul 11