What is Herbal Medicine?
Herbal medicine, also called Phytotherapy, is a form of health improvement in which plants are used to prevent and treat various illnesses. This form of medicine has also been helpful in bulimia programs and in anorexia treatment. This use of plants, or herbal medicine, has been is existence for many years and is one of the oldest forms of medicine. Various forms of herbal medicines include: tablets, oils, extracts and ointments.
Basic systems of herbal medicine include:
- Traditional Chinese Herbalism
- Ayurvedic Herbalism
- Western Herbalism
Many drug families (categories) in use today were discovered and derived from the plant kingdom. According to the World Health Organization, 25% of all prescription drugs contain at least one active herbal ingredient. Even more remarkable, 121 prescription drugs are derived from just 90 plant species.
What Herbs are Used?
Types of herbs include: shrubs, trees, ferns, and seaweed. The following are herbs in use today:
- Echinacea – aids in strengthening immune system, protects from colds and the flu, assists in healing
- Ephedra – an appetite suppressant, assists those with asthma or bronchitis
- Feverfew – helps to prevent migraine headaches, assists with arthritis, rheumatic disease and allergies
- Ginger – decreases and prevents the effects of: nausea, vertigo, and vomiting
- Ginkgo – increases blood circulation and oxygenation, increases concentration and memory
- Ginseng –assists with physical stamina and alertness
- Kava-kava – used for anxiety, stress and restlessness
- Valerian –a muscle relaxant, used for those with insomnia, a mild sedative
Benefits of Herbal Medicine
Herbs are powerful agents that assist in the body’s natural detoxification process. They have been shown to be very effective in naturally treating ailments such as anxiety and eating disorder symptoms.
Herbs work to combat the consequences of disease and eating disorder symptoms by the effects of their chemical components; in essentially the same way as pharmaceuticals. Both generate biological activity and produce effects in similar ways on the body. These herbs have thus been useful in various eating disorder treatment centers across the country, such as California eating disorder locations. However, herbs are processed much differently by the human body because they do not have the toxic residue left by synthetic (man-made) prescription drugs.