Herbs Help and Heal in our Daily Lives

Tuesday, July 06, 2010 by: Todd Mumford
Tags: herbs, healing, health news

(NewsTarget) We have relied on herbs and herbal medicine to treat our ailments and conditions for centuries, and yet even today when so much more is known about herbs and their medicinal properties, many look down on them as being "quackery". Much of the medical world would prefer us to use synthetic commercial drugs for treatment and healing.

Pharmaceutical companies extract what they consider to be the active ingredient from herbs. They isolate this and then go and mix it with synthetic substances. Unfortunately, this can lead to a very powerful but unbalanced drug. And this is when you can get unwanted and even dangerous side effects. Clinical trials for drugs are carried out on a selected few and for, at the very most, a few years while healing plants and herbs have been tried and tested for hundreds of years. They are well known for their effectiveness in the treatment of many diseases.

Think about which treatment you would prefer - chemical or herbal?

Herbal remedies can boost the immune system, increase the body's resistance to infections, heal allergies and raise and renew the vitality of the body. For centuries, herbal medicine has increased overall health, vitality, and life expectancy. We all know about lavender and aloe vera but there is an endless list of herbs to choose from. Here are just a few:

- Goldenseal is known for its antibiotic properties.
- Chamomile relieves stomach distress, calms nerves, fights infection, speeds healing processes, and prevents ulcers.
- Garlic is a strong natural antibiotic. It helps reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart attacks as it prevents the forming of blood clots. Garlic also contains anti-viral properties.
- Ginseng is used to increase stamina, provides liver protection from harmful substances, and stimulates the immune system.
- Feverfew is used to help prevent migraines.
- Spearmint and Peppermint provide indigestion relief.
- Comfrey aids in new cell growth and helps heal wounds because it contains allantoin.
- Ginger may reduce the risk of heart attack by preventing internal blood clots and is also invaluable for motion sickness.

Herbs have also been used as an aphrodisiac through the ages. There are a number that can be used safely to enhance sexual desire and performance so that men and women can be treated for sexual dysfunction, frigidity and impotence. Here herbs can work in two ways - one to relieve anxiety and fear and the other to influence the hormones.

Healing natural oils are of course made from herbs too. You will find a specially formulated and gentle treatment for so many different conditions that you can use safely. Herbs become natural home herbal remedies so easily. You can order a ready-made product online, or if you can boil water, you are well on your way to making your own home remedies. No special equipment or complicated instructions are necessary; you save money and ensure purity and freshness. You can easily make lotions, teas, cordials and tinctures.

Herbal teas are known for their soothing and healing properties, providing health benefits by detoxifying the body, cleansing the colon and calming anxiety. Second only to water, tea is the most frequently consumed drink worldwide. All types of teas have antioxidant properties because of the polyphenols they contain. Herbal teas are considered to be one of the most satisfying and helpful types of herbal supplementation.

So if you are keen to go the natural route, find out more about herbs and plants and how to make your very own fresh treatments in your home. Your health can certainly benefit.

Sources:
http://www.herbsguide.net/
http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/healing-he...
http://www.herbsandnaturalremedies.com/

About the author

Todd Mumford is staff writer for Amoils.com - a provider of 100% natural treatments for a variety of conditions - and writes on a wide range of alternative and natural health topics.