(Diana) Alternative treatments to conventional Western medicine may provide helpful and life-changing options for people who are sensitive to medications, or cannot afford big expensive surgeries.
Source – Natural Herbal Remedies
by Diana,
More than that, alternative treatments such as herbal medicine focus on prevention and treating underlying problems, not just symptoms.
Herbal medicine involves the use of plants and extracts to deliver effective and safe treatments. Even Western medical practitioners are not only stopping to take note but starting to suggest natural alternative treatments as well.
For instance, it used to be that kidney stone patients could only take medication or have surgery to remove a painful stone. Now, it is recognized that lemon is effective in breaking down stones.
Herbal medicine, phytotherapy, or herbalism, as it is also known, is now used often in lieu of Western medicine. It is very popular for prevention and treatment of illness and health issues. Botanical medicine or medical herbalism systems of treatment reach back to herbalism found in traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic herbalism, and even in Western herbalism.
Medicinal Plants In Modern Times:
Herbal medicine is older than Western medicine and has some long-standing treatments and cures that have lasted for thousands of years because they work.
As it turns out, it is not just in the mind of the user or practitioners. It turns out that smart modern scientists have tested the longest-standing herbal remedies to find out what makes them work. Plants contain some very powerful components and chemicals that re-balance the body. In general, herbal remedies can be prepared as liquid or powder extracts, tablets, essential oils, teas, and ointments.
Because the herbal remedies work with the body’s processes to heal, they are generally safer than prescription drugs and surgery, and a lot more affordable. The benefits of herbal treatments are listed below and include everything from effective treatments for colds, cancer, and even diabetes.
Benefits Of Natural Healing
Because herbal medicine works with the body’s natural self-healing capabilities, it actually enhances biological healing to quicken the recovery process. It also means that the body’s own internal environment is maintained during recovery rather than ravaged, which doctors say, antibiotics do to the body. In the case of Western antibiotics, the individual often feels “off” in their stomach after dealing with the healing that antibiotics cause. It turns out that their stomach then has to heal as well.
With herbal remedies, the body is maintained, not partly destroyed and requiring rebuilding after the treatment is taken. What many people do not know is that herbs are powerful enough to stimulate glands to re-balance hormones by re-initiating hormone production. Hormones play a role of the signal to tell the body to increase or reduce biological processes.
Many herbal remedies have a set of rules to follow to improve their ability to work. For instance, while the person increasing their lemon water intake to reduce kidney stones is treating stones, they would also eliminate foods that allow kidney stones to be produced. The idea is to support the body in its healing. The changes at some point become a habit to prevent future re-occurrences of the issue.
As it turns out, herbs strengthen the immune system’s functioning to build the body’s defenses naturally. This prevents primary and secondary infection.
Building an immune system that is stronger while bringing in a holistically regulated diet improves metabolism. That leads to optimal absorption from the diet’s nutrition. Once people start on a healthy path they are less likely to want junk food, because it is one way to erase the good effects of using herbal medicine. Junk food robs the body of health by harming its ability to take in nutrients while packing on unnecessary weight.
Good wholesome nutrition improves treatment while strengthening the body’s immune system. Medicinal herbs work better when they have the added support of a well-fed body. It improves the efficacy of treatments.
People can have allergies to anything, especially medications, food, and even herbal remedies. Herbal medicine means that there is a potential for side-effects and allergies. They do work as the body is meant to operate, and that is where the herbal medicine has advantages of Western medicine.
Yet, with herbal medication, there are generally fewer problems than with pharmaceuticals because the chemical element of foreign substances in the body are not part of the equation. It is easier for the body to heal with herbal medicine.
Now herbal remedies are administered by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Naturopathy, or other alternative practices. Naturopaths, for one, go to school for years post-graduate, just like a medical doctor or chiropractor might. They learn all about the plants, their makeup, how they need to be prepared, and dosing for different sized people and their problems. It makes sense to turn to the experts on plants instead of trying to self-medicate because people can have bad allergies to herbal remedies.
In the United States, ginseng and bee pollen remain very popular along with black cohosh, cat’s claw among many others. Ephedra is one herbal remedy that most people have heard of because it is an appetite suppressant. It treats bronchitis and asthma as well. Meanwhile, echinacea boosts the immune system. Kava kava has also remained popular, and it treats anxiety.
The list of favorable blood sugar herbal supplements is a long one. It includes cinnamon, ginkgo biloba, blueberry leaves, bitter melon, garlic, onion, fenugreek, and goat’s rue just to name some. They are all helpful at controlling blood sugar levels to help lower a diabetic’s reliance on insulin. The underlying action is that these herbal remedies increase the body’s insulin secretion to keep the body’s blood sugar levels balanced.
Herbs For Allergies
Nettles are one of the favorites for dealing with particular allergies, along with quercetin, the ephedra, butterbur, and astragalus work to combat different types of allergies by controlling the body’s anti-histamines. They also include antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. They can treat skin problems and asthma as well, such as acne and eczema.
Other Medicinal Plant Uses
Colon cleanses are important to keep the body’s intestinal tract clean to prevent colon cancer. Plantago psyllium seed, which is part of many products available at the supermarket, play a role as a colon cleanser. Others that work their magic in the colon include rhubarb powder, aloe vera, and alfalfa juice. Chlorella, which is often found in “green juices” combined with the power of carrot concentrate, and garlic all are powerful colon cleansers. They clean and improve digestion in the intestinal tract. The colon itself does not uptake nutrients, it is more akin to a waste chute.
Heart and blood-related functions are treated with garlic, ginkgo, and ginger. Know that there are a multitude of options not mentioned here. Hawthorn cuts blood pressure while dilating blood vessels to support a stronger heart. Garlic treats coronary artery disease while improving cholesterol levels. Ginkgo biloba even helps with the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases.
Herbal medicines are effective for weight loss to reduce obesity. Herbal medications are often appetite suppressants, stimulants, diuretics, and cathartics. Commonly fennel, flaxseed, phyllium, alfalfa, senna, nettle, kola nut, and hawthorn are used to aid in weight loss. They also work to improve health improvement to help with overall health.
Various herbs are increasingly turned to treat both minor and major health issues from the common cold to sleep problems. Even allergies, diabetes, heart and blood pressure can be regulated through the use of herbal remedies. Treating anxiety, heart problems, breathing problems, and skin disorders take well to herbal remedies. All different parts of plants are used to create herbal remedies that help people to improve their health and well-being for today and into the future.
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Source:
http://natural-herbal-remedies.net/medicinal-plants-and-their-uses/
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