In part I of this article we looked at what herbal medicine is and what it uses as its philosophical basis. Part II looks at what herbal medicine can be used for and its safety and effectiveness.

What can herbal medicine be used for?

Herbal medicine can be used in one of three ways:

Up until about 200 years ago, herbal extracts, teas, baths, etc., were the primary forms of treatment available to doctors. In fact Pedanius Dioscorides an ancient Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist from Anazarbus, Cilicia, Asia Minor, wrote 'the bible' on herbs and early medicinal substances extracted from plants in the first century AD.

To this day, pharmaceutical companies still use herbal medicines in their drugs (they just don't advertise that fact). He described over 600 medicinal plants, their use and actions with respect to treating diseases.

In the early 19th century, when methods of chemical analysis first became available, scientists began extracting and modifying the active ingredients from plants. Later, chemists began making their own version of plant compounds, beginning the transition from raw herbs to synthetic pharmaceuticals. Over time, the use of herbal medicines declined in favor of pharmaceuticals.ý

A skilled herbalist is able to use medicinal plants to treat any disease known to man. Granted, some diseases such as cancer for example, are not treated easily, but are treatable with herbs. The limit is not the limitations of herbs, but the skill of the physician. And, let's face it - that's the same for any system of medicine.

In short, herbal medicine has been used since the dawn of man and is still as effective today as it ever was in treating virtually any disease safely and effectively.

What forms does herbal medicine come in?

Herbal medicines come in several forms of administration. These include:

Once a herbalist has identified the underlying reasons for the manifestation of the disease a patient is afflicted by and has worked out the herbal mixture required to address this disorder, it is then necessary to establish the best way of administering the herbal medicines.

One would logically think that taking the herbs in their liquid or pill form might be the best and easiest way to take the medicine, however, often it may not be.

Without getting into the details and chemistry of how active constituents of medicinal herbs are extracted, let's have a quick look at the ways in which herbs may be used.

Extracts and tinctures are generally made by using a certain amount of the dried or fresh herb and than mixing this with alcohol. The alcohol dissolves most of the plant's constituents and suspends them in the alcohol. This is what is basically known as a tincture.

Alcohol will extract almost all the ingredients contained in the plant material. Unlike alcohol, water will extract fewer of the ingredients. Water is a universal solvent and many of the substances contained in herbs will dissolve into the water. However, alkaloids and fats may not. If some of the alkaloids are not wanted, then a tea or sits bath (water extraction) may be preferable.

Poultices are used externally. They are prepared by crushing the plant, usually the fresh plant or parts thereof, mixing it with a base cream, honey, yoghurt or similar substance, which is then applied directly to a specific part of the body. This type of treatment is particularly effective when treating wounds, bruising, joint and bone injuries, local infections, localized skin disorders, gangrene, etc. But can also be used to treat some chronic internal diseases of organs.

In short, there are different horses for courses. In other words, the type of application will depend on the specific needs of the individual patient and their particular type of disease. For example it might not be wise to treat a patient who suffers from alcoholism and liver cirrhosis with an alcohol-based herbal mixture...

Is herbal medicine a safe form of treatment?

Herbal medicine in the hands of a qualified, experienced herbalist is very safe and has minimal risk of side effects. However, just because herbs are natural does not automatically make them safe. Remember, Arsenic is natural and deadly.

Opium from the Poppy flower is highly addictive, lead is poisonous and so are most other heavy metals, yet they are all 100% natural substances. So don't be fooled - natural is not necessarily harmless.

Having said that, herbal medicine is one of the safest forms of medicine and is very unlikely to cause harm if used as prescribed by a qualified herbalist.

Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, which are mainly synthetic, man-made substances, herbs are easily assimilated in our bodies. They are also easily eliminated and do not usually accumulate. A herbalist will also frequently change the herbs in a patient's mix as their health picture changes.

In short, herbal medicine, if prescribed by a qualified and experienced herbalist, is one of the safest forms of treatment, causing few, if any, side effects.

Seeds, leaves, stems, bark, roots, flowers, and extracts of all of these have been used in herbal medicine over the millennia of their use. These supplemental treatments have been delivered raw, in teas and tinctures, as topical applications, in liquid forms, and in pills and capsules. In the beginning the plants were consumed raw or combined with hot water as a soup or tea. Later, the plants were dried and crushed for other uses. The plants were found in the wild and uses were often based on superstitious or visual cues. Plants were often used to treat body systems because they were shaped like that body part or because they grew in a particular area. As science began to take a closer look at herbal remedies, their use became more refined. Herbs, and other plants, are actually the precursors to many of today’s medicinal drugs. Some of the pharmaceutical medications on the market are extracts of some of these traditional herbs.

Today, many modern, and Western, medicine practitioners are beginning to look at herbal remedies for some common, and not-so common, disorders. The lower cost, and often safer use, has attracted many medical professionals. Some physicians use herbs to off-set the side effects of pharmaceuticals.

Timeline of Herbal Medicine

No one knows, for sure, when humans began using herbs for medicinal purposes. The first written record of herbal medicine use showed up in 2800 B.C. in China. Since then the use of herbs has gained, and fallen out of, favor many times in the medical field. The timeline that follows shows some of the key dates and major points in the history of herbal medicine.

2800 B.C.- The first written record of herbal medicine use showed up. (Titled the Pen Ts'ao by Shen Nung)

400 B.C.- The Greeks joined the herbal medicine game. Hippocrates stressed the ideas that diet, exercise and overall happiness formed the foundation of wellness.

50 A.D.- The Roman Empire spread herbal medicine around the Empire, and with it the commerce of cultivating herbs.

200 A.D.- The first classification system that paired common illnesses with their herbal remedy appeared. This was prepared by the herbal practitioner Galen.

800 A.D.- Monks took over the herbal field with herbal gardens at most monasteries and infirmaries for the sick and injured.

1100 A.D.- The Arab world became a center of medicinal influence. Physician Avicenna wrote the Canon of Medicine, which gave mention to herbal medicines.

1200 A.D.- Black Death spread across Europe and herbal medicines were used along side “modern” methods such as bleeding, purging, arsenic and mercury with equal, or better, results.

1500 A.D.- Herbal medicine and herbalists were promoted and supported by Henry VII and the Parliament, due to the large number of untrained apothecaries giving substandard care.

1600 A.D.- Herbs were used in treating the poor, while extracts of plant, minerals, and animals (the “drugs”), were used for the rich. The English Physician, an herbal explaining the practice of herbal medicine, was written during this time.

1700 A.D.- Herbal medicine got another high profile endorsement from Preacher Charles Wesley. He advocated for sensible eating, good hygiene and herbal treatments for healthy living.

1800 A.D.- Pharmaceuticals began to hit the scene and herbal treatments took a back seat. As side effects from the drugs began to be documented, herbal remedies came into favor again. The National Association of Medical Herbalists was formed, and later renamed the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH.)

1900 A.D.- lack of availability of drugs during World War I increased the use of herbal medicines again. After the war pharmaceutical production increased and penicillin was discovered. Herbal practitioners had their rights to dispense their medications taken away and then reinstated. The British Herbal Medicine Association was founded and produced the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. People began to express the concern over the large number of side effects and environmental impact of the drugs of the 1950s.

2000 A.D.- EU took action on regulation and testing of herbal medicines similar to those used for pharmaceuticals.

Herbal medicines have been documented for almost 4000 years. These medicines have survived real world testing and thousands of years of human testing. Some medicines have been discontinued due to their toxicity, while others have been modified or combined with additional herbs to offset side effects. Many herbs have undergone changes in their uses. Studies conducted on the herbs and their effects keep changing their potential uses.

Herbal Medicine Today

Herbal medicines are still in use today. In some respects they have gained a new momentum in the medical field. As many people seek alternative treatments and begin to check out traditional, and Eastern, medicine, herbs are becoming more popular. As physicians seek new treatments for many common illnesses they are beginning to revisit the traditional remedies, using herbal medicines.

Pharmaceutical medications, with their potential for harmful side effects and addiction, are becoming less popular. People are seeking alternatives to the modern medical interventions. Improving, and maintaining, health naturally is a very popular approach to overall wellness.

The herbs used today are generally cultivated for those purposes. Very few herbs are harvested from the wild, with the exception of a few still found in the rainforests and higher elevations. The cultivation of herbs for medicinal uses is a large field and more people are beginning to plant their own herb gardens. Many monasteries continue to grow large herbal gardens within their walls.

Elderly people also metabolize medications differently, and generally are on more medications, and therefore must also exercise caution when trying new herbal treatments. Underlying ailments that may affect the body’s ability to process or absorb medications are also an issue.

Herbal medicine has enjoyed a long, and colorful, history. From the early Chinese Empires to modern physicians’ offices, herbal medicines have continued to be a part of the medical field. Herbal treatments have matured throughout history, along with the methods of delivering them. In the beginning, the herbs were used in a hit or miss method and required major events to change their use. Research and clinical trials have helped to shape the field of medicine, and the future for herbal medicine looks bright.

The usual treatment for allergies is to block the exaggerated reaction of the immune system to the allergen. This is done with medical preparations containing strong doses of steroids that are available in both oral and topical forms. Conventional treatments are ineffective in the sense that they can’t provide a permanent solution to the problem. Moreover the patient runs a serious risk of suffering from serious side effects. Topical creams containing steroids can eat into your skin making it thin. Oral pills can lead to weight gain, drowsiness and stomach upsets.

It is due to these reasons that you should seriously consider alternative courses of treatment to help you win your lifelong battle against allergies. At Longevity Herbs you can find natural Chinese herbs that have proved to be very effective in mitigating the effects of allergies. These allergy herbs work on the same principle as most Chinese traditional herbs like Chinese Cordyceps and Reishi Mushroom. These are immune herbs that boost the human immune system thereby helping it withstand the effects of allergens. In Longevity Herbs, you will find several other Chinese traditional herbs like Jiao Gu Lan which is a detox herbal brew, which when used with our special herbal tea blend helps in detoxifying the body. It also increases the production of bodily fluids and helps fight cold and other respiratory problems. Allergy herbs like Jiao Gu Lan act as preventive measures and help in warding off asthma and bronchial complications.

Both traditional Chinese medicine herbs and homeopathic remedies are perfect for providing soothing relief during an allergic reaction. Allergy herbs like Xin Yi San, which is a sinus formula made from magnolia flower, Angelica and licorice and potent herbs. This Chinese Herb is very effective for fighting congestion and allergy attacks.

Chinese herbal medicine has a number of Allergy Herbs that are better in every conceivable way of what western medicine has to offer. So do visit www.longevityherbs.com to permanently bid goodbye to your allergic reactions.