BOTANICAL MEDICINE OVERVIEW
Botanical / Herbal Medicine is a branch of Naturopathy which uses various types of plants as medicinal agents in the symptomatic treatment of disease.
Herbs and botanical medicine have been used for extensively for medicinal purposes by cultures around the world for centuries. Approximately 70 % of the prescribed medications are isolated synthesized compounds that plants contain, which is why they produce side effects and herbal remedies do not. Herbs can be taken in various forms such as teas, juices, tinctures, baths, dried and encapsulated in tablets or capsules, extracts, oils and juices for the treatment of ailments ranging from coughs and colds to heart problems.
Consult your health care practitioner or naturopathic doctor and medical doctor, if you are considering taking herbal remedies, especially if you are taking medication prescribed by your medical doctor, as many prescribed medications cause unpleasant side-effects when combined with other substances. If you are not taking any prescription or over-the counter drugs, herbal remedies can be used for safe and effective health care, if prescribed correctly when needed by naturopathic doctor or herbalist.
“FOR EVERY ILLNESS, THERE GROWS A HERB NEARBY” – PARACELSUS
HISTORY OF HERBAL HEALING
The use of medicinal herbs is as old as humankind. When human first appeared on earth, the planet was already covered by an infinite variety of plant life. It is natural to assume that plants were also used as a source of medicine. Although written and pictorial records of herbalism cover no more than the past 5,000 to 6,000 years, archeological records clearly show that the knowledge and practice of herbal medicine was highly developed long before the earliest written accounts known to us were made. The most ancient records come from Asia where advanced cultures flourished early on.
The herbal supplements or herbal products suggested at our naturopathic clinic are all standardized. Standardization guarantees a plants species’ quality and purity for consumer protection. The supplements are also prepared with the utmost care and highest standards of cleanliness, potency and identity.
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