Benefits of Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine, also known as alternative medicine, is used to prevent and treat various ailments. It is also known as phytotherapy, herbalism, botanical medicine, medical herbalism or medicinal botany. A basic system of herbal medicine includes Ayurvedic herbalism, traditional Chinese herbalism and Western herbalism. Various herbs are known for having amazing medicinal properties. Herbal medicine is one of the oldest forms of health care. Use of herbs has been practiced for several centuries to cure a number of illnesses. Herbal medicines can be taken in the form of tablets, extracts, teas, essential oils or ointments.

Herbs having Medicinal Properties

In nature, there are a huge variety of herbs, having medicinal properties and they are used to prepare the herbal medicines. They can be used directly in the form of extracts or tea, or used to produce the drugs. Several herbs consist of powerful ingredients, which are helpful to cure a number of health problems. They can be used safely, without causing any side effects. Some of the commonly used herbs are American ginseng, bee pollen, astragalus, cat's claw, black cohosh, bladder wrack, chamomile, feverfew, damiana, dong quai, flaxseed, ginger, garlic, ginkgo biloba, grape seed, green tea, licorice, muira puama, saw palmetto, suma, schizandra, tea tree, turmeric, soy isoflavones, white willow, etc.

Ephedra is an appetite suppressant. It is used to treat asthma or bronchitis. Echinacea helps strengthen immune system and protects from flu and common cold. Feverfew is used to prevent migraine headache and also helps manage allergies, rheumatic disease and arthritis. Kava-kava is used to treat stress, anxiety and restlessness. Ginkgo increases oxygenation and blood circulation and helps improve memory and concentration. Valerian is a muscle relaxant and a mild sedative and helps deal with insomnia. Ginger decreases and prevents vertigo, nausea and vomiting.

Benefits of Herbal Medicine

Various herbs can be used to treat various minor and major health problems such as common cold, sleep disorder, allergy, weight loss, digestive problems, hair and skin problems, anxiety disorder, heart problems, respiratory problems, hypertension, diabetes, etc. Various parts of plants such as stems, leaves, seeds, barks and roots are used to prepare the herbal medicine. Some of the important benefits of herbal medicine are given below.

A number of herbs such as Indian Kino, bitter melon, gurmar, garlic, onion, fenugreek, blueberry leaves, ginkgo biloba, cinnamon, goat's rue can be effectively used to control the blood sugar levels and to deal with diabetes. These drugs enhance the secretion of insulin, which is needed to control the blood sugar levels.

You may suffer from various types of allergies such as food allergy, insect stings, pollen, dust mites or medicine. The herbs such as nettle, quercetin, butterbur, astragalus and ephedra are used to treat different types of allergies. These herbs are anti-histamine and they possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They can be also used to treat various skin problems such as acne, psoriasis and eczema.

Herbal medicines can be effectively used for body's natural detoxification process. The herbs such as Plantago Psyllium seed, Rhubarb Juice powder, aloe vera, alfalfa juice, chlorella, carrot concentrate and garlic can be used to cleanse the colon, improve digestion and food absorption and boost your immune system. Some digestive disorders such as colitis, indigestion, peptic ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome can be cured using the herbs.

Problems related to blood circulation and heart such as high blood pressure, angina, varicose ulcers, varicose veins, etc. can be successfully treated using the herbs such as hawthorn, garlic, ginkgo, ginger, capsicum and motherwort. Hawthorn lowers blood pressure, dilates blood vessels and strengthens the heart. Garlic is very effective to treat coronary artery disease as well as decreases serum cholesterol levels. Ginkgo biloba can be effectively used to treat cerebrovascular disease.

Herbal medicines can be used for weight loss and reduce obesity, which is the cause of many health problems. Herbs used for weight loss are categorized as appetite suppressants, cathartics, stimulants and diuretics. Commonly used herbs for weight loss are burdock root, chickweed, fennel, flax seed, nettle, kola nut, phyllium, alfalfa, senna, hawthorn, etc. These herbs help weight loss as well as improve overall health.