Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is among the most respected of the ancient natural therapies, and has stood the test of time, despite the introduction of modern medical science. Herbs are compatible with the chemistry of the human body which has adapted over thousands of years to assimilate them. Today there is an enormous resurgence of interest in all things herbal, and a rediscovery of the traditional use of medicinal herbs. Treatment with herbs can often provide a gentle and safe alternative, or complement, to modern drugs and other orthodox medical treatments.

Over the centuries we have developed an enormous wealth of information on the uses an efficacy of herbal medicines. Passed down from generation to generation, it has survived until the present day, when (the World Health Organisation informs us)`85 per cent of the world's population still use herbs as their main form of medical treatment. And this is very fortunate, for in the late 1970s, after worldwide surveys by international health agencies, the Director General of WHO stated that to achieve and maintain adequate healthcare for the world by the year 2000, we need to encourage and develop the use of traditional systems of medicine, for western orthodox medicine alone will not meet our medical needs. Even industrialised countries, such as the USA and Japan are looking to herbs and their potential for primary health care.

I decided to try and combat my own pain by going back to basics - the food that we eat - and started growing my own herbs and testing to see how my body would react by eating various herbs listed in the Essential Oils section, I have noticed a big improvement and as of today (23 July 2005) I have not taken a pain killer now for 3 months, I am finding that many of the anti inflammatory herbs that I am adding to my food have kept the pain down enough that I can manage without the needs for NSAIDs or OPOIDs.

I have, however, noticed that while I am using herbs as pain relief for my Scoliosis, I need to use a lot in my food daily, as I am not taking any pain killers at all the amount of herbs needed to justify not using drugs is a lot, but I suppose a lot goes into those little white pills and because we do not see the raw ingredients or them being made we are blinded to how they use!