Natural Remedies, The Remedies From the Past and the Future?

Garlic, tamarind, mustard seed, dill, cumin, bay leaf, ginkgo biloba, liquorice and a whole lots of others that you can find on a typical family kitchen. Who has not tried the use of natural herbs such as those mentioned above and examples like ginger in the form of a hot ginger drink to remedy a cold that persists, applying natural extra virgin coconut cream on an itchy skin that is irritating, drinking herbal liquid for brain stimulation before an exam or even just having a cup of green tea for a break after an intense 1-2 hours of concentrated work to relax the mind?

Since the dawn of time and across many different cultures, natural remedies were used in pharmacology. Traditional Chinese medicine, African herbal medicine and more recently, the Indian pharmacopoeia were long been used for various remedies to alleviate different kinds of illnesses.

Natural herbal plants are known to have wide range of different kinds of benefits. They can soothe, stimulate, strengthen, prevent or cure. And this knowledge is well known from many centuries and passed on to our current time.

During the time of monastic gardens and throughout the medieval period, advances in science have helped to isolate and synthesise active ingredients in herbal plants for making medicines.

The use of natural herbal plants requires a thorough understanding of the diseases to be treated, the knowledge about the herbal plants themselves, necessary preparations and dosages. The active elements are located in various parts of the herbal plant such as roots, rhizomes, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds and even in some cases the bark.

But you have to take caution! A herbal plant may be toxic in higher amount than what is recommended. So do not try and use these known herbal remedies by yourself specially the ready made supplements and see a professional herbalist, a naturopath or your family doctor if you haven't used the herbal plant before. Doing your own research is good but you should always confirm with people who have experience this particular herbal plant or supplement.

Examples of herbal plants the are currently used as natural remedies.

    * Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), caraway (Carum carvi), mint (Mentha x piperita) are know to have properties for easing problems related to digestive system.
    * Mallow (Malva sylvestris), marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) have properties for relaxing the respiratory system.
    * St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) or valerian (Valeriana officinalis) have properties for soothing the central nervous system.
    * Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) and echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) have properties for invigorating the immune system.

Herbal plants are also used as tonic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, laxative, anti-depressant, malignant cell growth prevention and many more.

A single herbal plant can have multiple properties. This is the case of garlic (Allium sativum), which is an antibiotic, an anti hypertensive, an antioxidant and is lipid-lowering.

The beneficial wonders of natural herbal plants, however, have their limitations. Their effectiveness may differ from person to person, depending on the metabolism of the individual and responsiveness of the active ingredients inside our body. So do not hesitate to consult your doctor if you have discomfort and that the herbal plants does not seem to help.

The recommended dosage level of herbal supplements should be followed carefully for it to be effective, higher doses or over dosing can be toxic. It is recommended to follow instructions carefully from the professional herbalist or consult qualified people that can give you proper advice.

You should also take caution in mixing herbal supplements with other medications. It is highly recommended to talk to your pharmacist or herbalist and mention the particular medicine or herbal supplements you are taking to avoid problems later on.

What is traditional natural remedies future?

Traditional natural remedies and modern medicine has greatly benefited from the use of thousands of plant species in order to cure major and minor illnesses. Ongoing herbal and science research and studies are now finding new discoveries and benefits of natural herbal plants. Just think of the discoveries made on Taxol, a plant alkaloid and an active ingredient which helps fight certain cancers. Our hopes in finding cure on major diseases is much brighter if traditional and modern medicine will continuously work together hand in hand for the goal of finding better and effective remedies for illnesses.

More information, discussions and products about natural remedies can be found at Australia Natural Health website http://www.ausnathealth.com.au

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