Why Plant Medicine?
Products made from plants have been used to treat diseases and maintain health are called herbal products, botanical products, or plant medicine. Many prescription drugs and over the counter medications are also made from plant products, but contain only purified ingredients and are regulated by the FDA. Herbal products come in many forms, such as dried, chopped, powdered, capsule, or liquid. They can be swallowed as pills or tinctures, brewed as a tea, applied to the skin as lotions or creams, or added to bath water.
Products made from plants have been used to treat diseases and maintain health are called herbal products, botanical products, or plant medicine. Many prescription drugs and over the counter medications are also made from plant products, but contain only purified ingredients and are regulated by the FDA. Herbal products come in many forms, such as dried, chopped, powdered, capsule, or liquid. They can be swallowed as pills or tinctures, brewed as a tea, applied to the skin as lotions or creams, or added to bath water.
The use of herbals has been used for thousands of years. Today, many American consumers purchase and use supplements each day. While herbals can help support the body systems, they are not for everyone and can interact with conventional medications and have strong effects. It’s important to understand the impact supplements play in the role of health and wellness. The reason herbals are not regulated is because the FDA consider them to be foods, not drugs. They are not subjected to the same testing as prescription drugs. Anyone who is considering adding a supplement to their daily regimen should talk to their doctor prior to starting.
THE DIFFERENCE
One of the ways herbal medicine is different from conventional medication is due to the varying conditions in which it is grown. While prescription medication is often synthetic and consistent, the constituents of plant material is based on its growing conditions. Rather than the elements of the plant grown under scrutiny, the plant is with sunshine, rain, and elements of the soil and its surroundings. Each season is different, which means the plant is different depending on the amount of sun, rain, and soil conditions. Plant medicine has lower concentrations of the active principles, and relies on energetic principles for achieving healthy results. Each person’s constitution and bio-individuality determine the effectiveness of herbal supplements. There are many plants that can be used in similar ways. While prescription antibiotics are consistent and over used, it has caused resistance with antibiotic use. Whereas, plants do not have the same elements each time, and the bacteria does not become resistant to it’s effects.
HERBAL TEAS
Tea, next to water, is the least expensive beverage a person can consume. Teas have been considered a health promoting substance for centuries. The consumption of tea, both green and black, has also been shown to be useful for prevention of many debilitating human diseases that include maintenance of cardiovascular and metabolic health. Various studies suggest that certain compounds present in green and black tea are associated with beneficial effects in prevention of cardiovascular diseases, particularly of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
ACCEPTANCE WITH CAUTION
Plants and plant medicine have an important place in our health and wellbeing. However, herbal and natural medicines do carry risks, so please seek advice from a trained professional such as a qualified herbalist, neuropath or functional doctor. Mind-body medicine can be considered as a complementary or an alternative mode to the traditional Western medicine. Today, we have access to a lot of information, and it’s important to be your own advocate for health. No one knows you better than you know yourself. Live well.
Sources:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/herbal-medicine
A Little Weed
Last year, I’ve branched out a bit more in my desire to understand healing and wellness. Last March, I began a 9-month course on herbalism at the Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, Virginia. Each month from March until November, a class meets for a weekend long class. It’s the foundation of a three-year program to become a Master
Last year, I’ve branched out a bit more in my desire to understand healing and wellness. Last March, I began a 9-month course on herbalism at the Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, Virginia. Each month from March until November, a class meets for a weekend long class. It’s the foundation of a three-year program to become a Master Herbalist. Time will tell if this is where I am to go, but I’m excited at the possibilities.
Each month, I’m amazed at the wonders of herbs. Funny thing is, most of what we talk about isn’t rosemary, basil, or culinary herbs which most people think about. It’s weeds in our yard we work to remove and/or spray in the spring and summer so a luscious green lawn can appear. Somewhere along the line of “modern living,” the desire for rich, green grass began to be highly sought after. As a result, we began to kill off the pharmacy living in our back yard. Toxic chemicals are used to kill the weeds and fertilizers are used to feed the grass. While this makes for a lush, green lawn, I wonder what else it’s doing? All those man-made chemicals are getting into the earth and the ground water, which will eventually end up creating a problem somewhere down the line. It’s usually to our marine life. They don’t get the option to move to another area that is less polluted, they have to learn to deal with the situation. This could be an opportunity to talk about Glyphosate, aka Roundup, but that’s for another time.
Plants are simply amazing. They are life and energy. They have so much to give, yet are humble and quiet….except the dandelion. That one is a bit loud and showy. Here’s a bit of history about the dandelion: When the early settlers came over from England, they were distraught that there were no dandelions in this New World. They began to plant fields of them because of their known medicinal benefits. And, now for decades since, we’ve been trying to kill them. The entire dandelion plant can be used for medicine. The roots, the leaves, and the flowers are all edible. It’s a bitter, that is essential in health. As people, we tend to move toward foods that are sweet and that is more pleasurable, but it’s necessary to consume a fair amount of bitters. Those bitters support our immune system in a large degree. The chlorophyll in the greens help to cleanse and purify the blood. The bitter taste counterbalances all those sweets that weaken the immune system.
The flower of the dandelion looks pretty in a salad as does other flowers from “weeds.” Chickweed, is an early grower in the spring that can be added to salads. It’s an anti-inflammatory and is most often used in a salve for boils, rashes, eczema and other skin issues. Most everyone has some plantain growing in their yard. Plantain is a blood stopper and can be made into a poultice and applied immediately when there is a cut or small wound. In reality, we have a pharmacy right outside our door, if we choose to allow those plants to grow instead of destroying them. One way to consume the medicinal value of plants is through teas.
I’ve really grown to enjoy drinking herbal teas. As an advocate for water consumption, I’m often drinking from a water bottle and seek to refill it a few times throughout the day. It’s a way to keep track if I’m hydrating enough. Since my class, though, I’ve been drinking more herbal teas in my bottle so I can get the medicinal benefits while still keeping hydrated. I had no idea certain plants could strengthen the heart tissues, help with abdominal distress, or move lymphatics. The more I learn, the more I want to know and understand these beautiful plants. This time of year, plants are dormant and rest after a summer of growing. Now is the perfect time to think about your yard and what you would like to cultivate for the next year and build your own pharmacy.
In the beginning, it can be quite overwhelming where to begin. I’d recommend starting with the plants that grow in your own area and there are many. Rosemary Gladstar has written numerous books, but one that comes to mind is Medicinal Herbs. You may also be able to look for some local classes that can help you learn more about the medicinal plants in your area.
Health Bite: Cultivate your own green pharmacy.