Welcome to the wonderful world of herbs.

Gone are the days when people thought of herbal medicine as a relic of the past, when people knew no better and had nothing else to use. Modern research, rather than demonstrating that traditional herbal medicine is a load of mumbo jumbo, is proving scientifically what ancient physicians instinctively understood about the therapeutic properties of plants. It’s hard to think of a situation where herbs may not be beneficial.

Around 80% of the world’s population uses herbs medicinally. If you consult a GP in Germany, for certain conditions you’re as likely to get a prescription for a herbal remedy as for an orthodox drug. Major pharmaceutical companies are starting to market herbal remedies. Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), a herb that has been traditionally used by Native Americans, is being heavily promoted by GlaxoSmithKline. Significant sums of money are being spent investigating other herbs such as Red Clover.

Orthodox medicine already uses herbs in one form or another to treat certain problems. For the treatment of constipation we’ve all heard of Senna, a laxative that in its natural state can be a little drastic. As with all holistic therapies, the aim is not to treat just the symptoms but the whole body so herbalists would choose herbs that stimulate the bowels to work efficiently and not simply a laxative.

Herbs are a powerful form of medicine. They need to be used safely and there is currently precious little advice on packs of herbs on general sale. For instance, did you know that the popular herb St. John’s Wort should not be used with certain types of birth control pill, or that Cranberry juice is not appropriate alongside Warfarin. Can anyone take herbal preparations? Unfortunately, no. Pregnancy is a good example of a period in life when many herbs would be unsuitable.

It’s widely acknowledged among practitioners of various therapies that herbs have a special place and can produce benefits that it’s difficult to achieve with other therapies. University degree courses in the UK, in subjects such as Nutrition and Naturopathy, are including herbal studies as one of the modules.