We've Come So Far - How Much Better Can Alternative Medicine Get? Herbal and natural medicine has gained so much more attention than it ever had in the past seven to ten years. So, why is that? There must be something to it other than a consumer trend or a fleeting fad. And there is - a whole lot more. Consumers are finding that herbal medicines are helping them in many of the same ways as traditional medications prescribed by physicians - without the high cost, sometimes adverse side effects, and over-prescribing and combining of too many meds at once. Herbal medicine is one of the oldest forms of healing and aiding the human body and mind and eliminating or alleviating human suffering. Hippocrates, one of the most famous philosophers and earliest proponents of natural medicine and herbal healing, believed that humans were meant to live in harmony with nature, and that nature itself prescribed cures and antidotes for human ailments - we just had to find out through trial and error which of nature's plants were the best choices to heal various human illnesses of the mind and body. Hippocrates notoriously believed that we should "let food be our medicine and medicine be our food", meaning we only had to look as far as our environment and natural surroundings for cures and remedies to heal and mend ourselves, as well as to keep our bodies in optimal condition for as long as possible in order that a productive and meaningful life may be lead. Herbs, natural compounds and botanicals were discovered to have dramatic healing capabilities as well as therapeutic properties for health maintenance and prevention centuries ago, before modern medicine evolved into what it is today. The most interesting part of the history of herbal medicine is that herbalism simultaneously occurred in vastly different areas of the globe. What we know today as Indian herbal medicine, or Ayurvedic, Chinese herbal medicine and western herbal medicine, all have deep roots of ancestry going back as far as 202 BC. The fact that so many cultures came up with their own version of natural medicine is pretty staggering. What's even more fascinating is the culmination of all of these cultural medicines paved the way for modern, man-made medications that we all know today. What are the Most Popular and Effective Alternative Remedies Today? Remedies for lack of sleep, stress relief and relaxation, depression, anxiety, pain, weight loss, hair loss, skin problems and more are some of the most popular and in-demand herbal products currently on the market today. Along with these, there are more obscure remedies for illnesses and physical conditions, such as hemorrhoids, smoking cessation aids for withdrawal symptoms, cold remedies, and even herbal medicines purported to help people with cancer and even to help prevent cancer cells from forming. While herbal medicine may be regarded by some with skepticism, especially those in the medical and pharmaceutical profession (go figure), its long standing usage and history of effectiveness is nothing to be scoffed at by any stretch of the imagination. If you really examine what herbal medicines are and how they are discovered, is it really all that different from modern medicine? Not only that, but most modern medications have been derived from nature, albeit they are in an altered and corrupted form in the final stages of manufacture. Still, they have largely begun in a naturally biochemical state. Herbal medicines have come a long way since their ancient origins, and are making new strides every day, just like modern medicine. Not only that, pharmaceutical engineering and medicine have actually helped to make more powerful and effective herbal remedies. In a way, the real journey for herbal medicines and alternative methods of healing has just begun! |
