Herbs that Heal - Herbal Remedies

With all of the new medications on the market, it is not uncommon for people who suffer from any number of diseases or disorders to take more than five different types of pills each day. If each of those five pills have two negative side effects each, the benefits provided by the medications may not outweigh the detrimental effects. This is the reason why many people turn to another option: herbal remedies. 

The use of herbs with healing properties is more than 5,000 years old, and many people still swear by certain herbal remedies. Prior to the advancement of modern science, herbs were one of the only ways people could seek relief from their pains and sicknesses. Sometimes, the use of herbal remedies was combined with specific prayers and spiritual ceremonies or rituals. 

An herb is a seed-producing plant that can hold a large quantity of water and which does not develop woody tissue, but retains a soft and pliable texture. Examples of common herbs are catnip, spearmint, chamomile and hyssop. In addition, an herb can also be a spice, which is a variety of vegetable that is aromatic and pungent. Examples of herbs that are also spices include cumin, rosemary and paprika. 

Herbs and spices are typically cured in their original environments before being processed and shipped for containment. For example, cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds from the Syzgium aromaticum, which is a tree in the Myrtle family. Likewise, gingerroot is peeled and dried right after harvest, and is exported later. 

Herbs can act in the following ways: 

- Diuretics – an herb that promotes the flow of urine.
- Alkalinizers – an herb that raises the pH higher than 7.
- Tonics – an herb that invigorates or strengthens
- Acidifiers – an herb that lowers the pH below 7.
- Astringents – an herb that staunches the flow of blood
- Diaphoretics – an herb that promotes perspiration
- Laxatives – an herb that promotes bowel movements
- Nervines – an herb that either excites or soothes the nerves 

Herbs come from all different kinds of plants, and have different uses depending on how they are prepared.

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