What is Herbal Medicine?
For thousands of years, wherever humans and animals have inhabited the earth, plants have been used for their healing properties. It is the oldest known healing modality. Herbalism can be defined as “the art and science of collecting, preparing, and utilizing herbs for healing.” Well-trained herbalists are aware of issues of quality manufacturing of herbal products, safety and herb-drug interactions, and can custom formulate herbs for specific health concerns and individuals.
Clinically, herbalists work with individuals to achieve optimal health through the use of herbal supplements, diet and lifestyle. The vast array of supplements on the market can be overwhelming. Meeting with an herbalist, will help you sort through the options. Herbs are carefully chosen and formulated for the individual. In order to craft the herbal formulation, the herbalist will evaluate lab tests, medical history, family history, lifestyle, diet, and traditional diagnostic techniques such as pulse, tongue, and facial diagnosis.
Benefits of Herbal Medicine
• Helps individuals operate at their optimal level of health and fitness.
• Provides an opportunity for people to engage more fully in life and their healing process, becoming more aware of their body and their health.
• Allows people to connect to the earth, stimulate the senses, and connect with their inner joy.
• Helps people deal with chronic stress, whether it is chemical, physical or emotional in nature.
• Improves digestion and the way the body interacts with the foods we eat.
• Supports immune and endocrine function, specifically viral infections, compromised immunity, blood sugar imbalances, and fatigue.
• Improves cardiac health and help prevent of cardiac disease
• Improves women’s menstrual cycle and support women through the transition to menopause.
• Assists the body when dealing with inflammatory skin conditions and joint pain.