Herbal Medicine

Herbal Medicine is the use of botanicals (plants) either alone or in combination to prevent and treat certain ailments and illnesses. Singularly or in combination, the numbers of herbs available is astounding. There are over a half million known herbs that could be used as possible remedies. Herbal remedies around the globe vary in strength from very mild, gentle remedies that we even use as food, to potential poisons if taken at the wrong dose. The old adage that, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" could not be more true. This is especially true when it comes to natural remedies. People native to different geographical locations have long used plants and plant extracts to cure specific maladies. Sometimes the use of herbs is referred to as "folk" medicine. Folk use of herbal remedies is familiar to all of us in some form or another, because this is how these remedies are learned. Remedies and recipes for herbal teas are handed down from generation to generation and are still remembered and used to this day. Unfortunately, that is what fuels the fire of the scientific community and their disdain. It really is their loss, because generations of experience and knowledge should not be so readily dismissed. In fact, many of our modern medicines have their roots in herbal medicine. With all our so-called advancements in the medical field, it