Herbal Therapy

A herb is defined as a seed plant that has a pulpy stem that withers away completely to the ground at the end of each growing season. In other words, a herb does not grow like a tree or shrub. The stems are not woody. Herbs are plants that have medicinal properties.

Herbal remedies are divided into two basic types, stimulating herbs and tonic herbs. Stimulating herbs are the ones that are used to treat the symptoms of medical conditions. Tonic herbs are remedies that really assist the organism, rather than actually heal. In most herbal therapy situations, the two kinds are combined and the art is knowing what goes with what in order to maximize the benefit. The herbalist will listen to the whole panoply of symptoms that are presented by the patient and then he will choose a particular herb that will be thought or expected to have a direct and specific effect on the condition. To this the herbalist will add one or more other herbal remedies for the purpose of working along with the main herb.

More to the point, the herbalist will endeavor to treat the patient as a whole organism, rather that try to pinpoint the specific herb for a single medical condition. A herbal compound made up of several different herbs will be mixed with a view to treat the entire individual, not just the perceived sickness.

Herbal Therapy has been around for many many centuries. It appears to have begun in China where the traditions are still followed to this date. In the United States more and more traditional medical providers are investigating herbal therapies as a safe alternative to heavy and expensive medicine. Herbal treatments are becoming more and more mainstream.