Herbal Medicines a Natural Choice

Herbal medicine uses plant medicines, in many forms, to promote good health and to treat ill health. The Organic Grocer offers an introduction to Western herbal medicine gives information about basic self-help and describes some of the herbs you can use

Why do people choose herbal medicine?

People try herbal remedies for all sorts of reasons: because they hear from others that it has worked, because they feel it's natural and believe it's likely to have fewer side effects, or because they prefer its holistic approach. People also like the idea of having more control over their own treatment. Others turn to herbal remedies because conventional medicine has let them down, or because they want to relieve the side effects caused by the prescription medication they need to take.

The popularity of herbal medicines is clear now that herbs are much more widely available over the counter. Also on the increase is the number of qualified practitioners and those choosing plant medicines, in their many forms?

Herbal medicines can be used to treat health problems that are short-lived (acute) or firmly established (chronic), as part of a holistic approach to health. In other words, when looking at the person as a whole, and working out whether there are underlying medical, emotional or lifestyle factors that may be having some influence on the outbreak of symptoms.

How is it best to use herbs?

It's important to recognize, first of all, that herbs don't have a specific and limited purpose, in the way that conventional medicines do. Each person should have their individual needs identified, so that herbs prescribed specially for him or her, at the time, can address these. For example, not only are there different types of depression, but they can also vary in intensity. A person may go through a depression that is altogether different from their experience of depression on a previous occasion. It may also involve a whole range of physical symptoms - lethargy, stomach problems (constipation and diarrhea) and headaches, to name just a few - that are individual to that person.

Our Herbalists will take into consideration the whole picture of someone’s symptoms, and use an individually tailored combination of plants to address those symptoms and to restore health. Combining two or more herbs can enhance the individual effects of each one. This is known as synergism. Herbs for the nervous system fall into a number of categories. They can be used to strengthen a system, to relax or sedate a system, or to stimulate it.

How should I take herbal remedies?

At home, the easiest way is to make a tea or 'infusion', by leaving the plant material in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, before straining and drinking it. Herbal remedies come in many other forms, however. They can be bought over the counter as:

• fresh herbs (such as, garlic cloves or peppermint leaves)
• capsules or tablets (powdered herbs)
• extracts (a concentrated form that comes as liquid tinctures, solid pills or capsules)
• tea
• in foods
• as essential oils (for external use)
• as creams and ointments (for applying to the skin).

The potency and quality of all of these vary widely. The herbs need additives to make them into extracts, which come in a range of strengths. Tinctures are more readily absorbed and solid extracts (pills or capsules) are the most concentrated and perhaps the best value.

Some products are (or contain) 'standardized extract'. This means that the manufacturer guarantees that the product contains a certain amount of a particular ingredient, so that you know how much (by weight) of that ingredient is in each day's dose. Different manufacturers produce remedies in different strengths and to different qualities. Prices will vary, and may not necessarily reflect the quality of the product.