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From the desk of Richard
Penfounde, your Naturally Healthy Lifestyle specialist.
The whole story of herbal medicinal power is one of the most
fascinating in the entire world. Not only has it been the backbone
of European medicine, but every ethnic tribe uses it as the basis of
their own medical systems and have done so for thousands, it not
millions, of years. Everyone seemingly has a different approach but
they have many common applications such as externals and internals,
mentals, reproductives, fevers etc
Many herbs have overlapping abilities in that they can perform
either totally or in part in more than one category.
The classical development of Western herbalism has developed over
different categories. At this level it is for the student as well as
the "just interested" party. Many excellent books abound in
libraries and speciality bookshops that the reader will find well
worth working through for more detailed study. However I have
included a short description of the more common herbs to give you an
opportunity to understand their “health application” together with
the vitamins and minerals found in each.
Some of the more common herbs and species we sprinkle into or onto
our food are taken for granted. But in tact, many contribute to
long-term health. Just make sure that the ones you buy have not been
irradiated or chemicalised in storage, and choose those that have
been organically grown initially.
Throughout the history of man beneficial uses of plants have played
an all-important part in health and well being. The medicinal
effects of plants were originally discovered by trial and
inspiration amongst cultures ranging from the East (Ginseng) and
India (Kotu kola) to South America (Guarana) and latterly throughout
Europe from where a whole wealth of herbal remedies have developed
over the past 300 to 400 years.
The Herbs and Health section relates the historical medicinal uses
of
some of the more widely known herbs available today.
Herbs and Health
Herbs have medicinal benefits and this fact has been known and
utilised for centuries. Records of the Roman Empire; Egyptian,
Persian and Hebrew, nations confirm their historical use. When the
Romans invaded England their armies took no doctors with them, but
instead some 200 herbs which they planted and used extensively.
Herbs contain powerful chemicals that are natural and balanced.
Whilst modern medicine isolates the so called powerful main
ingredient(s), traditional herbalists have always shown that nature
provided lesser powerful ingredients in each herb to act as a
buffer, a synergist, a counterbalance to work in harmony and lesser
potential side effects.
As far as the parts of a herb are concerned usually roots and barks
are fungicidal and bacterial and when dried will retain their
medicinal value for many, many years. Alternatively some parts are
poisonous and deadly. Bitter tasting herbs are usually medicinal and
are more potent when freshly picked.
Using herbs in a practical way
- A compress is a cloth soaked in a
herb solution.
- A Decoction is a tea made from bark,
roots and seeds.
- Essential Oils
are extracted by
either distillation or cold pressed.
- Extracts are the result of herbs
being soaked in a solvent and allowing the
solvent to evaporate.
- Herb vinegars result from herbs put
into raw apple cider vinegar, rice or malt and
left to stand for two or more weeks.
- Infusions are obtained by keeping the
leaf or flower in hot water for 5 minutes (not
boiled)
Ointments are adding powdered herbs to a salve.
- Poltices are moistened ground
(sometimes in salve form) herbs spread on
muslin, or cloth and applied for up to eight
hours to relieve pain or inflammation.
- Powder is ground herbal plants ready
to be made into capsules or tablets.
- Herbal Salves, creams, oils lotions
are used on bruises, sores, aches and
inflammation.
- Tinctures are powdered herbs added to
a 50-50 solution of alcohol and water and used
on more severely ill cases.
- Teas are prepared using one to two
teaspoons of herbs per cup of off-the-boil hot
water. Put herbs in first and let them seep for
minutes. If left over ten minutes they tend to
get very bitter.
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