Interest in Herbal Healing Increases :: Holistic Healing

Interest in Herbal Healing Increases

In North America most medical doctors prescribe pharmaceutical drugs to treat their patients’ symptoms. While drugs effectively suppress symptoms, they can produce side effects and imbalances in the body that may worsen the condition or result in additional ailments or illness.

Herbal remedies are powerful healers that help treat the root cause of symptoms and bring the body into balance without harmful side effects.

Herbs have been used for medicinal purposes by cultures around the world for centuries. In both industrialized and developing countries around the world, herbal medicines account for 50 to 80 percent of total medicinal consumption. As more North Americans experience the many side effects associated with drugs they are turning to alternative medicinal options such as herbs. Seventy percent of Canadians have used complementary medicine at least once, and the global market for herbal medicines is $60 billion US and growing steadily.

Drugs vs. Herbs

The arthritis pain reliever Vioxx was in the news recently because of its dangerous side effects. It was shown to raise blood pressure and increase the risk of serious heart problems. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, widely prescribed to relieve the pain of arthritis, have resulted in approximately 100,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths each year in the US alone, due to gastrointestinal side effects.

Meanwhile, a great number of herbs have been studied for their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. In fact, arthritis is one of the leading reasons patients seek alternative medicine options. Cat’s claw, turmeric, ginger, and devil’s claw are examples of safe and effective herbs with anti-inflammatory properties.

Another controversial class of drugs, called calcium channel blockers, often prescribed to patients with high blood pressure, is believed by many researchers to actually increase rather than decrease the risk of death. Meanwhile, the herb hawthorn has long been used for heart health and is being studied as a safe and effective medicine for both the prevention and treatment of heart disease today. Bilberry extract contains a wealth of anthocyanins, the natural chemical that gives many fruits and vegetables their intense colour, and has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Learn More About Herbal Remedies

Other popular healing herbs include St. John’s wort for depression, echinacea for colds and flus, and dong quai for menopausal symptoms. Whether your interest is in teas, salves, essential oils, or tinctures, once you understand how they work and how to use them, you will have the power to help yourself heal without dangerous side effects.

Whether you are a herbal novice or have used herbal remedies for many years, the alive Academy of Natural Health Herbs and Healing course has much to offer you, including how to grow, process, store, prepare, purchase, and use herbs. The course is an excellent learning tool and will serve as a valuable reference on herbal healing for years to come.

For more information, contact the alive Academy of Natural Health at www.aliveacademy.com or call 1-800-663-6580 ext. 331.

Source: alive #280, February 2006

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