Herbal medicine is the use of plant seeds, berries, roots, flowers, leaves and bark for medicinal purposes. Herbal medicine has been practiced for thousands of years and has been used for years in the United States alongside conventional medicine practices. The practice of herbal medicine, or botanical medicine, is becoming more mainstream as advances in research shows its value in treating and preventing disease.
Herbs are used in supplements for a variety of medicinal purposes and are officially classified as dietary supplements by the United States. Sometimes several herbs are used in conjunction to make them more effective and reduce the toxicity. Herbal medicine is a very effective way to treat many conditions like eczema, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome and fatigue.
St. John’s wort is a very well known herbal medicine that’s used to treat depression. Over 40 clinical trials have been conducted on the effectiveness of St. John’s wort and have shown that it can treat both mild and moderate depression. Another common herb that’s used is Saw palmetto. Saw palmetto is used to treat a variety of prostate problems, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Studies also show that Saw palmetto is effective in treating mild to moderate problem with urinary symptoms and flow in men. Ginkgo is yet another common herbal remedy sold in stores that shows marked improvement in judgment, awareness and social functions for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years and is gaining popularity all over the world as more clinical studies back up claims describing the benefits and advantages to this type of medicine.
