Herbalism- History, Extraction, Herb Classes, Materia Medica, and The Doctrine Of Signatures

History of Herbalism

Herbs have been used throughout history to cure a variety of aliments. The word drug actually translates to dried plant. Every traditional medicine system has their own form of herbalism.

What is Herbalism?

This is an ancient practice to use herbs to heal the body. It is a holistic system that is invested in getting to the root of the issue. It also can be used to maintain health and prevent disease. It uses remedies that entail the entire plant and all its biochemical constituents.

Different Types of Extraction

Decoction-

This is a hot water extraction.

Tincture-

This is an alcohol extraction.

Salves-

Salves are herbal creams that you rub into the body for a variety of purposes.

Different Types of Herbs

Adaptogens-

These are herbs that help you adapt to stress. They work on all of the systems of the body together. They are also a tonic, which means you can take it everyday. Lastly, they help restore balance.

Antimicrobials-

These are herbs that help fight infection.

Nervines-

These herbs work on balancing and toning the nervous system.

What Is the Materia Medica

This is a Latin term from the history of pharmacy for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing. This spans across all cultures.

What Is the Doctrine Of Signatures?

This is nature giving us clues. How a food looks, smells, feels, it’s environment, and how it functions in nature is how it also can interact with our bodies.

The Difference Between Herbal and Conventional Medicine

Herbal medicine works together with a healthy lifestyle to get to the root of the issue. They work with the body to build it up, and restore balance. Conventional medicine uses pills to isolate an issue. They usually work on one area of the body, but as side effects. This is because nothing works in isolation; if you effect one thing, you effect everything. Drugs, come from plants themselves. The difference is that they isolate the compounds in them, and chemically them to make them more powerful.

 

 

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