Herbal Medicine and How it Helps Us Today
The earliest doctors were herbalists who used their extensive knowledge of plants to heal aches and ills in their communities. In ancient times, this practice was more superstition and guess-work than it was science.
Herbal medicine is becoming popular as people try to turn their backs on artificial medicines and corrupt pharmacies but what do you need to know about herbal medicine?
But there are some things you really need to know:
Some Herbal remedies can react with prescription medication. So, it is never advisable to take herbal remedies unless you know if wil not interefere with the prescribed drug. There will be a post available for some of the herbs you may need to avoid.
But saying that, more folk die from prescription medicines and suffer terrible side effects too. Let’s face it, Herbal medicine was all we had, yet we survived viruses and plagues and some other terrible diseases. We had the Wise women and the Apothecaries, who over thousands of years learnt their craft.
Taking care of your family with herbs doesn’t have to be intimidating. You don’t need an herbalist guru to train under for years (although that would be nice!), you don’t need a vast apothecary or certifications. Men and women have been treating their families and their tribes for thousands of years with whatever they had available to them.
Go into your kitchen and look in your spice cabinet and pantry. What do you already have available? Coffee is an herbal remedy used for stimulation and focusing the mind!
Chocolate is a wonderful source of antioxidants and manganese and may also lower blood pressure.
The wise women would make a tea out of cinnamon and garlic. Ginger ale is still a great way to treat an upset stomach. You already have everything you need to get started taking care of your family!
How many who have been stung with nettles have reached for a dock leaf or put clove on an aching tooth. We use many old remedies handed down from our ancestors, now we are finding our way back to them.
It’s with this knowledge and experience that I come to share and teach you what I can – to empower you to improve your own health, the health of your family and your community.
I’m not a doctor, nor do a pretend to be. The information offered is for educational purposes only. I make neither medical claim, nor intend to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Readers must do their own research concerning the safety and usage of any herbs or supplements where this could affect any prescribed medications. I will mention St John’s Wort as this is as Herb worthy of note in this context.
How do Herbs Work as Medicine?
In herbal medicine, we use the term “herb” to mean all parts of a plant (bark, leaf, roots, resin, etc.) as well as trees and fungi. All herbs have primary and secondary metabolites.
Primary metabolites are those chemical constituents in the plant that help it to grow and function. Think of starches, proteins and lipids – the building blocks of life.
Secondary metabolites are those chemical constituents in the plant that the plant uses to interact with outside forces. They release chemicals to attract pollinators, release others to repel pests. These secondary metabolites are the ones that work on the human body as medicine. These secondary metabolites can be broken into three categories:
- Alkaloids: often very bitter, which make the plant unappealing to herbivores
- Terpenoids: repel pests with aromatic qualities
- Phenolics: aromatic compounds produced by plants for protection against stress
These three classes of metabolites are what we’re concerned with when it comes to herbal medicine.
However, it’s important to note that herbs cannot fix a broken bone, cure diabetes, or save someone from a heart attack. In dire, life-threatening emergencies, the modern medical industry is absolutely the right choice.
If your disease is caused by a poor diet or chronic stress, you’ll need to address those first. If what you really need is a chiropractor, or nutritionist, herbs will not correct a physical obstruction or
Herbs aid and support the body’s own healing ability. Your body is its own best doctor, and it wants to be balanced and healthy. We’ll go into how later on.
Herbalism Best Practices
Another thing to keep in mind when doing any herbal work is that combining two herbs does not always simply equal herb + herb. There is a magical synergy that happens when some herbs combine that creates a unique, unexpected effect. Play around with different combinations when making your herbal remedies and find the formulas that speak to you.
The quality of the herbs that you use is of special concern as well. Purchase from a supplier you trust, local farmer, or, even better, grow them yourself.
At the beginning of the 19th century, humans began picking apart plants and identifying separate chemicals and their effects on humans.
William Withering, for example, identified a group of constituents in foxglove called Cardiac glycosides, and discovered their use in helping to regulate heart rate.
However, in this myopic view of the medicinal properties of plants, we lost the ability to see the big picture. Opium can be extracted from the poppy flower and, taken in high doses, can be deadly. However, the entire poppy flower has been used for thousands of years to treat stomach disorders, eye issues, and for pain relief.
Many plants contain complimenting constituents that can temper their negative side effects.
Just something to keep in mind: identifying a single constituent that you’d like to extract does not nullify the other constituents within the plant.
It is extremely useful to keep notes of every tincture and formula you make so you can refer back to them to recreate, or tweak your recipes.
Top 18 Herbal Actions
- Adaptogen
Adaptogens, or herbs with adaptogenic properties do just what they sound like – they adapt. Or, more specifically, they support your body in adapting to its environment or circumstances. The term was originally established in 1947 to give a name to a non-specific action performed on the body. In this use, adaptogens support and strengthen the body against stress – stress being another that threatens to disrupt the homeostasis of a body or system. - Alterative
Alteratives help restore proper organ function by assisting the body to eliminate waste. In this way, they help restore health and vitality to the body, or specific group of organs. All cells consume nutrients to function, and eliminate waste. Such natural waste are things such as proteinaceous waste, cellular debris, hormones and other byproducts of our cells’, or organs’ metabolic processes. When this waste is not efficiently removed by the cells, organ or body at large, we get such symptoms as swelling, swollen lymph nodes, constipation, skin conditions, low grade fever, chronic infections, chronic fatigue, and low energy levels. - Analgesic
Analgesic herbs function as pain killers, without the added doping effect of some narcotics. Some analgesic herbs work better on specific areas of the body (ie. the skin, or joints) and can provide pain relief by their anti-inflammatory actions. - Anticatarrhal
Anticatrrhal herbs help thin and reduce mucus as well as prevent its formation and the inflammation that sometimes accompanies it. They’re usually used to
treat common colds and upper, as well as lower, respiratory illness, but they can also be used to treat infections of the adenoids, middle ear, sinuses or tonsils. - Antimicrobial
Antimicrobial herbs perform their action by interfering with the growth and reproduction of microbes in the body. Bad microbes can include bacteria, fungi, or protozoans. - Antioxidant
Oxidants are free radicals that our body naturally produces to help fight off viruses and other toxins. They also exist in our environment in the form of air pollution, smoke, alcohol, processed foods, etc. Oxidant overload can lead to accelerated aging, weakened immunity, fatigue and cellular degradation. Antioxidants, on the other hand, helps our body fight oxidants and the damage they can cause. - Astringent
Astringent herbs dry and constrict tissues, helping them to draw things out. If you’ve ever had a strong red wine, you’ll have noticed how dry and puckered your tongue becomes. This is due to the tannins within the wine. Astringent herbs treat a wide variety of issues, including reducing inflammation, toning skin and membranes, edema, and diarrhea. - Bitters
Bittering herbs are just how they sound – bitter. The bitterness of them results in increased saliva production, increased digestive fluids and increased appetite. Bitters were often taken after eating a large meal to support the body in digestion. Bitters will also be used to treat occasional constipation, gas related cramping, sluggish digestion, and to increase appetite. - Carminative
Carminative herbs are often aromatic, and help reduce and expel gas from the digestive system. Used mainly to treat bloating and gas related cramping. - Demulcent
Demulcent herbs are rich in mucilage, which can soothe and protect irritated or inflamed tissues. Mucilage is a gummy, slimy substance that cools and soothes dry, red, inflamed tissues. Because of this general action, they can be used to treat a number of conditions: soothing inflammation in the esophagus in the case of reflux, soothing irritation in respiratory and urinary tracts, soothing stomach and intestinal lining, reducing inflammation in the GI tract, drawing and healing of external wounds, and more. - Diaphoretic
Diaphoretic herbs create or promote sweating. Think of the flush and sweating you get after eating peppers. This benefits the body in a few ways: sweating helps the skin expel waste or toxins, increase circulation by dilating blood vessels, and can improve kidney function. They can also increase sweating during a fever, which will help the body expel whatever it is fighting and help naturally cool the skin. - Diuretic
Diuretic herbs increase urination, which is the body’s way of eliminating excess fluid. They can also stimulate the kidneys to excrete more sodium into the urine. Diuretics are used when the body is retaining too much fluid. This can be a symptom of a number of diseases: high blood pressure, cirrhosis, kidney dysfunction, kidney stones, swelling in the legs, PCOS, pre-menstrual bloating and diabetes. - Emmenagogue
Emmenagogues are herbs that promote menstrual flow. The effect of the herb can range from mild to strong, and can cause abortions if the user is pregnant. Not all emmenagogues will cause abortion, but they should all be used with extreme caution if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Menstrual cycles can be delayed for a number of reasons: stress, poor diet, anxiety, travel, hormonal disturbances, or as a side effect of medication. - Expectorant
Expectorant herbs help the body loosen and expel mucus. They help to thin the mucus, and detach it from your lungs so you can cough it up. I’ve always followed the advice that if a cough is productive, don’t suppress it. That is, if you’re able to cough mucus up, take expectorant herbs to help your body cough it up. If your cough is dry, you can take suppressing herbs.
There are two types of expectorants: stimulating and soothing. Stimulating expectorants are used in cases of excessive mucus production. Soothing expectorants are used in cases where a cough is irritating, or unproductive. They work by soothing bronchial spasms and loosen the mucus secretion. - Hepatic
Hepatic herbs are ones that work, in some way, to aid the liver. They tone, strengthen, and assist the flow of bile. While this may seem rather vague, hepatic herbs work in a number of different ways, but a healthy liver is fundamental to a body’s homeostatis. - Nervine
Nervine herbs are those that support the nervous system. Just as with hepatic herbs, this is pretty general. Some nervines work as tonics, some are calming, some are relaxants, or sedatives. In this way, they are great to use for anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and stress reduction. - Stimulants
Stimulant herbs boost the body’s energy. These herbs tend to lift your mood, quicken your metabolism, and may increase circulation which deliver more oxygen to your cells, energizing them. - Tonics
Herbal tonics restore and invigorate cells and organs by toning them. Again, this is a very generic action. Tonic herbs provide “adaptive energy”, have anti-aging properties, and balance physical, emotional, and psychic energy. In old times in the Appalachia, people would come out on their cabins in the Spring and eat specific spring greens as tonics. They would revitalize a body and the digestive system after months of bland food and being inside. These spring tonics would prep the body for the long summer’s work ahead.
It is my hope that this short introduction into herbal medicine will give you enough information and confidence to begin your herbal journey – and it truly is a journey. You should never stop learning, and a continuing education that helps you support and love yourself and your family is worthy of time and dedication. Consider herbs one of the tools in your tool kit in nurturing a happy and healthy home.
I recommend anyone starting out purchase a good Herbal reference book, this is one of the best and used very often by myself. It’s actually the first book I ever purchased.
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