Herbal Information Essay, Research Paper
Herbs
Herbal History
The history of herbs date back thousands of years to the times of when doctors didn t have many tools of medicine to cure the ill with. They would use plants, berries, roots, and event the barks of some trees to cure an ailment. In those times there wasn t much background research on herbal remedies and so sometimes a cure from a doctor could increase the sickness or even be fatal. Europe and the Mediterranean have been using herbs to cure and help for 4000 years and there are even some herbal healings mentioned in the Bible. Herb use to mean all non-woody plants but today it is referred as to any part of any plant such as the fruit, bark, flower, leaf, or root.
There are myriad herbal systems such as European and Native American just to name a couple. Since there are so many systems there are also different ways of classifying herbs. Mostly all the systems have one thing in common and that is all of them treat the body as a whole and they each use the power of the plants to each individual as a whole. Each system is different and categorize herbs and plants differently. But whichever system you choose to go with the results will just about be the same.
Herbs have different powers that can heal and help people. Herbs are safe to take and there are little cases of overdose. Herbs can cure lots of sicknesses and also protect the body by getting rid of problem inside.
Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies are ones that claim they can cure a sickness or help in some way. Ginseng is a Chinese herb that has been used fro 7000 years. With that much background and history there must be something good about it. In an article from www.kcweb.com/herb/ginseng.htm it says that ginseng normalizes physical functioning depending on what the individual needs So if a person has high blood pressure then the ginseng will lower it and if a person has low blood pressure the ginseng will increase it. There are also many other claims that ginseng has such as enhance memory by improving the blood flow to the brain, boost energy levels as well as many others. The big question is do all of these claims actually work. Well only research and study can prove this. There has been plenty of research to prove that ginseng can do most of its claims but not all of them happen to all people. Let s just say that its not going to hurt you but it might not help you either.
Ginseng contains vitamins A, B-6, and the mineral zinc. These are good for the thyroid gland, which is another reason ginseng is good. The main ingredients in ginseng are 25 glycosides call ginsenosides, which are kind of like steroids. These glycosides balance and control the effects of stress. Siberian ginseng has shown to increase energy, stamina, and help the body resist viral infections. Ginseng is one of the most popular healing herb. It is used worldwide and has the medical research to probe all of its claims.
False Claims of Herbs
As I have done research on herbal remedies I have found little on the fact that there are any false claims on herbs. I have found over 150 herbs that actually help the body in their own separate ways. Not each of the herbs I researched said that they are proven to do the job that they do. But from over the years an herb may have grown a reputation to do one thing or another. This doesn t necessarily mean that these herbs don t work it just meant that there is no scientific proof to support these claims. Now there are of course poisonous herbs but those wouldn t be any of the herbs to take. Even though I found little on fake claims I did find out that there could be an overdose and side effects of some herbs. This is of course due to the fact that not everyone can handle or needs a certain type of herb.
Each and every herb works in its own way and it does its purpose. It won t help a man who has live cancer to start eating juniper berries, but a person who is young starts to eat juniper berries they are less likely to get liver cancer. Herbs are not miracle drugs but the can be very helpful if they are take right and often.
For example people who have liver damage or are prone to acid reflux should avoid using peppermint. There aren t any cases of over dosage of peppermint but pure menthol (the active ingredient in peppermint) can be lethal in doses as little as 2 grams but this is likely to happen.
Herbs themselves cannot harm a person in any way if they are taken properly, and the person is not allergic or have any medical problems that would make the herb upsetting. As with any other food or drug, too much of one thing can be deadly.
There are some products on the herbal market that claim they do a lot but there is no way of proving them unless they are bought and tried. I m not saying that all the great products that claim so many things don t work. To buy a good product that you know will work is one that has all natural herbs. It also helps to know someone who has tried the product with success.
Herbal Dieting
Herbs can help in the quest of the ever-searching perfect diet. There is no one herb that we can all take and lose 10 lbs overnight. But there are lots of herbs that can and will help in the war on fat. It can t just be one herb alone and it can t be just herbs. The goal of reaching an ideal weight or to fit into those pair of pants can t be reached with just herbs. Exercise and a nutritious, well-balanced, moderate, varied diet are the only two things that can bring down the weight of an individual. Here are some herbs that can help with proper dieting.
Now there isn t one single herb that will increase your metabolism or help you burn fat but there are some herbs that can help your body on the inside while you take care of the rest on the outside.
Ginkgo for instance can increase the circulation of the blood. It helps to circulate the blood through the brain, ears and to some muscles. This is a great herb to take if you are in sports to keep the blood flowing and for people who have had strokes could also use this herb to help reduce the chance of another stroke. Passionflower can help calm your nerves and even help cure insomnia. This herb can t actually help you to lose weight but it will take of little things inside just as a well-rounded diet with herbs could help out with a lot of functions in your body.
On the herbal market there are plenty of herbal diet pills that will claim they can help you lost weight. But I don t think that any of these claims have been met. The only way to pick out a good source of herbs is to check out what is in the pills on the food label. Make sure there isn t any extra unnecessary drug that will cause side effects. Herbs may not be the only things needed to lose weight. There are hundreds of thousands of other types vitamins, minerals, and drugs that can help people loose weight. Herbs are just more popular because they are all natural plants and most people like the fact that an herb and not a drug is in their body.
Herbal Healing
Every herb that I have looked up for this research paper has had some type of healing power involved in it. I think the main reason behind all of this healing is the fact that theses herbs have been around for thousands of years. Over the centuries more and more technology came out and researchers found out that all of these herbs have worked since the beginning of medical needs. Here are just a few of the many herbs that help to heal.
Sandalwood is a remedy for colds, cough, fever, liver and gallbladder problems, sore throat, tendency to infection, and urinary infections. In Asia sandalwood is used for abdominal pain, headaches, and vomiting. The reason why sandalwood works is because its oil has medicinal affects that stimulate the production of urine and loosens phlegm.
Garlic is one of the biggest herbs that are used today in lots of dishes. It has been said to help bronchitis, colds, coughs, fevers, sore throat, and hardening of the arteries. Garlic has been proven to lower cholesterol wit a mild anti-clotting effect on the blood. This is good news to older people who may be on the way to hypertension, high blood pressure, or heart attacks. Garlic would be an excellent choice for them to start eating more of to help stop cholesterol from building up.
Websites with information on herbs have all kinds of simple and easy herbal remedies that you can make right at home if you have all the herbs and oils to make them with. Some of them can give you recipes for shampoos, acne treatments as well as remedies for coughs and fevers. Just check out any herbal website and browse around.
Balancing It All Out
Herbs can heal, regenerate, replenish, and help the body. They are part of the earth and they should be part of us. After all this research and even before this I have found that some herbs can come in handy and can work with the body to make it better and make it feel better. Exercise and a proper diet are the hardest two things to get set for losing weight so why not help yourself and take some herbs that will help you on the inside. There are so many herbs that can benefit the body and I believe that if you were to take one or some of them on a day-to-day basis then your body in the long run would be better off.
More so these herbs have to ability to heal. Out of all the herbs I looked up I would say about 60% said that they could either help with appetite loss, help with colds, bronchitis, fevers, and many others. These are simple cures and they can grow out in your backyard. This is why I think that these herbs can be so useful and they will become more useful in the future. I know that marketers will start to combine more and more herbs to create faster acting medicines.
In conclusion herbs have been here for hundreds of thousands of years and they aren t going anywhere. With more and more technology coming out we will be able to find out more and more about them. The best thing is that with such a long history of being good they won t be replaced. They worked 8000 years ago to heal and protect and they will work today and tomorrow to do the same.