The Western hemisphere has long abandoned the used of the herbal medicines due to the advancement of technology and healthcare that is able to provide a single medicine that will cure illnesses. Many people, professional and lay individuals, do not know that plants may be able to provide useful health benefits. The benefits of the plants are in the form of alternative and complementary medicines and many people consider it as irrelevant part of folk times (Ernst, 2000). During the turn of the century, the plant-based products are once again gaining popularity.
The plant-based drugs may be as toxic as the chemical drugs if they are not properly used. However, the plant-based drugs gain an advantage over the latter by being extensively tried, tested and used over and over for thousands of years (Ernst, 2000). There are also problems posed by the plant-based drugs. It is known that the U. S. herbal companies are seldom conducting product specific research. The key information is tend to be based on the most closely related product that is publicly available to the people.
These posed threats to the public by not really knowing the components of a certain plant-based products that is not solely and properly determined by the manufacturers specifically on the type of species. This may affect the effectiveness of the product or may pose harm or adverse effects on consumers (Richter, 2002). For example, if different parts of the plant or different chemical processes are used to produce the product, it may differ in content and chemical composition. The different chemical composition will alter the pharmacological activity and effects of the product.
Because the information is obtained publicly available information, the data may be relevant or irrelevant to the particular product (Richter, 2002). Conclusion Due to the advances in our field of science and technology and also discoveries in the aspect of our healthcare, people are able to develop modern treatment for various types of diseases. These contemporary treatments are foreshadowing the other types of treatments and becoming nontraditional health care practices. Some still managed to survive and still exist in the modern society. Some people still believes in some nontraditional health practices in treating ailments.
One of the nontraditional health practices that are employed by people is the used of herbal medicine. Herbs are used by people for its scent, flavor and medicinal benefits. Herbal medicines are very helpful to people. They may be an alternative form of treatment that has miraculous health benefits. Herbal medicines are used extensively and tried in many households at different times for over thousands of years. Herbal medicines are once again gaining popularity as an alternative and complementary treatment. Plants and herbs may contain many components and these components may affect the effectivity of the herbal medicines.
Modern technologies provided tools that enable to extract a particular compound or components that is essential in treating a particular ailment. However, herbalists said that all of the components go well in harmony inside the plant and should be taken all. My grandmother firmly believes in the power of healing of herbal medicines. She said that herbal medicines were proven safe and effective by people for it is used for a very long time. Her careful preparation of the wonderful dishes we always had is very much alike when she is cooking her medicines.
Our family is comforted and kept healthy by the nontraditional medicines that are created in our kitchen. Every person may cook an herbal medicine by only knowing which kinds of herbs are appropriate on a certain type of illness. It may look quaint and old-fashioned, but there is no such thing when you are suffering. Yes, it was old for it was used for centuries that made it safe and effective than chemical drugs. My grandmother cures our simple sickness by a family traditional remedy with the help of her allies in the kitchen: her herbs.
References Bupa’s Health Information Team. (2007, August). Herbal Medicine. Bupa. Retrieved January 20, 2009 from http://hcd2. bupa. co. uk/fact_sheets/html/herbal_medicine. html. Ernst, E. (2000). Herbal Medicine: A Concise Overview for Professionals. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Herbal Medicine. (2009, January 13). Medline Plus. Retrieved January 20, 2009 from http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/herbalmedicine. html. Richter, R. K. (2002). Herbal Medicine: Chaos in the Marketplace. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, Inc.