The Benefits of Herbal Remedies
Considering the running around that we have to do to make a living it is natural that we are always pressed for time. The days when mothers made it a point that everyone had home cooked food and that too in peace seem to be a thing of the past. Apparently we never seem to have enough time to sit down and eat nor to pay attention to what we are eating.
Our body was never meant to consume chemicals and toxic substances. Despite advertisements to the contrary we do not know what actually goes in to increase shelf life of ready to eat snack bars that are touted as nutritional supplements. The less said about commercial foods, junk foods and fast foods the better it is. They all seem to focus on our taste buds with scant regard to their effect on our health.
The next threat comes from conventional medications. Despite vociferous warnings that certain drugs should not be taken without a proper prescription and that too only in recommended doses, there is an alarming tendency to self medicate. Conventional drugs are based on single compounds that bacteria can easily use to their own advantage. They can become resistant to it over time. New discoveries too, meet the same fate.
Herbal remedies , contrary to conventional drugs, comprise of complex compounds that are difficult for bacteria to metabolize and use for colonization. This secret of nature’s remedies was used for the benefit of mankind by ancient and traditional therapies like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Homeopathy is the latest entrant to this field of natural remedies that uses herbs, minerals and metals to prepare remedies using a typical process of dilution without using anything that does not occur naturally.
Herbal remedies make use of any or all components of a plant, tree or shrub including roots, flowers, bark, fruit and even branches. They come in different formulations meant for topical application and oral intake for medicinal purposes, as well as natural supplements.
Besides being non-toxic and devoid of side effects, herbal remedies treat the sickness as well as the root cause of the condition - an attribute missing in allopathic treatments. Along with these, herbs boost immunity and enhance the body’s defenses and increase the ability to combat invasion of foreign pathogens.
Contrary to the general belief, herbs have antibiotic properties also. Goldenseal and garlic have natural antibiotic and anti viral properties. Licorice soothes throat, ginger prevents blood clots that are harbingers of heart diseases and herbal teas help soothe tension. Similarly there are herbs that can address respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological and sexual problems as well. In many cases herbal remedies can even help in managing side effects of aggressive treatments like chemotherapy.
The only word of caution is that certain herbs are toxic to the level of being poisonous in their undiluted form and should be taken only in specific potencies. In this aspect, homeopathy is the safest as it has a perfect system of dilution in place.
References:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Nutritional-Supplements-and-Herbal-Remedy-Benefits&id=947367
http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Should-Try-Herbal-Supplements-and-the-Benefits-of-Herbal-Remedies&id=234536
http://www.vitapharmica.com/
