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Herbs encourage the body to heal itself
Herbs have been part of our lives for generations, in every country and for many different reasons. Herbs have been used for potions, lotions, salves, ceremonies and for healing for centuries. Our history books tell us of how healers used herbs from Indian medicine men to the modern herbalist who studies holistic medicine. Today because of the cost of medicines from our family doctor, many people are researching other ways to stay healthy through the use of herbs. Herbal medicine works best when practiced holistically. What that means is you want to think about good health for the whole body and work to heal the whole body as a whole. This is called having a balance both emotionally and physically, instead of just treating the symptom itself. You find this also referred to "holistic balance." Herbs are not just for cooking and eating ya know. Herbs encourage the body to heal itself!
Also See Herbal Remedies / Recipes
Cooking Herbs
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Herbs & Healing Usage
- Black pepper has a sharp and spicy aroma. Common uses include stimulating the circulation and for muscular aches and pains. Skin application is useful for bruises, since it stimulates the circulation.
- Catnip Tea, brewed from the leaves and flowers, may be taken for coughs and colds or as a bedtime calmative. See short Catnip information video.
- Cayenne pepper (considered the miracle herb by many herbalists) sprinkled in food, broth or tea also promotes sweating to break a fever. Cayenne acts as a catalyst, carrying all other herbs and supplements quickly to the place in the body where they are needed and increasing their effectiveness. It is also high in vitamin C and useful in the treatment of colds, sinus problems and respiratory ailments. 1 teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot water is often given to people to drink when a heart attack is taking place.
- Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica/Urtica urens): Stinging nettle has been used for hundreds of years to treat rheumatism (disorders of the muscles and joints), eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia, urinary tract infections, for kidney stones, for hay fever, or in compresses or creams for treating joint pain, sprains and strains, tendonitis, and insect bites.......... Stinging nettle may act as an expectorant (meaning that it can loosen and break up a cough). In folk medicine, the dried herb and fresh plant juice have been used as diuretics, astringents and blood builders, and to treat anemia. The powdered leaves or fresh leaf juice have been applied to cuts to stop bleeding or taken in tea to reduce excessive menstrual flow, as well as to treat nosebleeds and hemorrhoids. Nettle tea has been used to stimulate blood circulation and as a spring tonic for chronic skin ailments. See Stinging Nettle
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Ginkgo
Clinical studies have shown that the four Gs—ginkgo, ginseng, Siberian ginseng and gotu kola—enhance mental abilities, including concentration, aptitude, behavior, alertness and even intelligence. Ginkgo is the best known for improving memory and it boosts the brain's ability to use oxygen.
Memory Tincture
1 teaspoon each tinctures of ginkgo leaves and Siberian ginseng root-
½ teaspoon each tinctures of ginseng root and gotu kola leaves-
Combine ingredients. Take half a dropperful a few times a day. Take extra tincture an hour or so before an exam or an important office meeting, or at any time you need extra focus.
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What is an Herb?
A(n) herb is a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, or other qualities. Herbs are used in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes.
"In American English "herb" is normally pronounced /ˈɝːb/, with the initial "h" silent, but in British English the "h" is sounded: /ˈhɝːb/ (see American and British English pronunciation differences)."
Uses
"Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, or in some cases even spiritual usage. General usage differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs. In medicinal or spiritual use any of the parts of the plant might be considered "herbs", including leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, resin, root bark, inner bark (cambium), berries and sometimes the pericarp or other portions of the plant."
Culinary herbs
"Culinary use of the term "herb" typically distinguishes between herbs, from the leafy green parts of a plant, and spices, from other parts of the plant, including seeds, berries, bark, root, fruit, and even occasionally dried leaves or roots. Culinary herbs are distinguished from vegetables in that, like spices, they are used in small amounts and provide flavor rather than substance to food."
"Some culinary herbs are shrubs (such as rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis), or trees (such as Bay Laurel, Laurus nobilis) - this contrasts with botanical herbs, which by definition cannot be woody plants. Some plants are used as both a spice and an herb, such as dill seed and dill weed or coriander seeds and coriander leaves."
Medicinal herbs
"Plants contain phytochemicals that have effects on the body. There may be some effects even when consumed in the small levels that typify culinary "spicing", and some herbs are toxic in larger quantities. For instance, some types of herbal extract, such as the extract of St. John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum) or of kava (Piper methysticum) can be used for medical purposes to relieve depression and stress. However, large amounts of these herbs may lead to poisoning, and should be used with caution. One herb-like substance, called Shilajit, may actually help lower blood glucose levels which is especially important for those suffering from diabetes. Herbs have long been used as the basis of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, with usage dating as far back as the first century CE."
"Some herbs are used not only for culinary and medicinal purposes, but also for recreational purposes; one such herb is cannabis."
Religious herbs
"Herbs are used in many religions - such as in Christianity (myrrh (Commiphora myrrha), ague root (Aletris farinosa) and frankincense (Boswellia spp)) and in the partially Christianized Anglo-Saxon pagan Nine Herbs Charm. In Hinduism a form of Basil called Tulsi is worshipped as a goddess for its medicinal value since the Vedic times. Many Hindus have a Tulsi plant in front of their houses."
Botanical herbs
"In botanical usage a herb or herbaceous plant is any non-woody plant, regardless of its flavor, scent or other properties. A botanical herb cannot therefore be a woody plant such as a tree or shrub."
See also:
* List of plants used as medicine
* Herbaceous plant
* Pot herb
* Apothecary
* Herbalism
* Herb garden
* List of herbs and spices
* Remedy
* Prehistoric medicine
* Strewing herb
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Resources:
The publisher does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the information or the consequences arising from the application, use, or misuse of any of the information contained herein, including any injury and/or damage to any person or property as a matter of product liability, negligence, or otherwise. No warranty, expressed or implied, is made in regard to the contents of this material. No claims or endorsements are made for any drugs or compounds currently marketed or in investigative use. This material is not intended as a guide to self-medication. The reader is advised to discuss the information provided here with a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or other authorized healthcare practitioner and to check product information (including package inserts) regarding dosage, precautions, warnings, interactions, and contraindications before administering any drug, herb, or supplement discussed herein.
